Radio Disney to Hit National Airwaves

As if kids didn’t have enough exposure to Disney characters and products at the movies, in stores and on TV, now comes Radio Disney, a network of AM stations set to sign on nationwide in October.

Radio Disney, which has just completed a six-month test in four cities--Atlanta, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City and Birmingham, Ala.--is directed primarily at children ages 5 to 9. The stations will play dance hits, movie music and pop tunes from the ‘50s through the ‘70s.

The radio project is driven by the essential core of Disney wisdom--children may be the primary audience, but the products have to be palatable to the parents.

A sample hour of Radio Disney is mostly pop music, accompanied by contests, kids making requests and one-minute features from elsewhere in Walt Disney Co.’s empire, such as ABC News for Kids and ESPN Sports for Kids.

The performance of Radio Disney nationally could have a huge impact on the existing children’s network, Radio Aahs.

Immediately after Disney announced plans to charge ahead with radio programming, Aahs sold off all 13 of the stations it owned, raising $72.5 million and cutting costs to gear up for the fight against the mighty titan. Aahs continues to provide programming to its 30 affiliates.

Part of the battle will be fought in the courtroom. Children’s Broadcasting Corp., owner of Aahs, has sued Disney, alleging that the Burbank-based entertainment giant--after joining hands with Radio Aahs from 1995 to 1996 and helping with Aahs’ sales, marketing, promotion and research--used that deal “to obtain confidential business information.”

“We created a recipe and they baked their cake to it,” said Christopher Dahl, president of Children’s Broadcasting, based in Minneapolis. Disney denies any wrongdoing.