Capital Disney/Radio Disney

Adam · January 01, 2009, 08:34:05 PM

As this is a Disney-related forum, I was wondering if there are anyone on here who used to listen to Capital Disney, a radio station that used to broadcast on Sky, Virgin Media, online and on DAB until summer 2007, which was a joint venture between Disney and Capital Radio/GCap (now Global Radio)?

Equally, does anyone listen to the US version of Capital Disney, Radio Disney? Radio Disney was going to launch in the UK last year/this year as a replacement to Capital Disney, but without Capital. However, it is highly unlikely it will now.

Finally, I was wondering what everyone thinks about Disney's radio efforts?

SophieD · January 03, 2009, 10:19:14 PM

I used to listen to Capital Disney! I loved it until they pulled it of air

i was so dissapointed!
I tried to listen to Radio Disney the other day but you have to pay for it

I hope Radio Disney does launch here...

Adam · January 04, 2009, 01:59:07 PM

I'm glad there is another former Capital Disney listener on here. Anyone else listened to Capital Disney? I am sure there are more on here.

It is very unlikely that Radio Disney will launch, but you never know! I really think that Disney should get themselves sorted out and get more Radio Disney stations launched across the world. Capital Disney was successful in the UK and whilst it was different to Radio Disney USA, as it was for an older audience, less Disney orientated and more humourous, it still worked and the new Radio Disney UK was going to be the same. I would be interested to hear what everyone else thinks about Disney and radio. They seem to have every other media market covered, so why not radio?

If you are a former listener, please post too! Cheers.

MinniesBestPal · January 04, 2009, 02:02:08 PM

I used to love Capital Disney! I'd put it on and lie in bed listening to General E all night! I didn't get any sleep though cause I was too busy giggling! Hehehe..

Oh and I emailed in a few times! Kind of embarassing when I look back at it... :oops:

I discovered My Chemical Romance because of Capital Disney, believe it or not! I loved the song Welcome to the Black Parade, and then went and looked for more of their stuff!

BTW, Did anyone else listen to the General's show on a night?

Adam · January 05, 2009, 05:51:53 PM

I spent many an evening listening to Allan and The General. I think it is my quest now to find as many Capital Disney fans on here! lol. If anyone else used to listen, please post.

Willow · January 05, 2009, 09:09:50 PM

I spent many nights listening to Capital Disney, years ago. Won a few times on the shows, the prizes were rubbish though so I gave up listening.

MinniesBestPal · January 06, 2009, 12:04:46 AM

Yeah, remember that little girl who kept emailing the general by the name of Phoebe and asking to be the official "writer of the show"?

That was me... :oops:

Yeah! Allan was cool, but I thought the General was funnier. I don't know why, I just did...

Anthony · January 07, 2009, 01:22:00 PM

About a future station: a proper Radio Disney was meant to launch on DAB across the UK as part of Channel 4's 4Digital Group pitch, which was going to be a whole new multiplex of radio stations to rival the BBC's. Stations like Channel 4 Radio (speech), Pure4 (general music), E4 radio (like their E4 Music in the mornings). The Walt Disney Company was one of several extra groups signed up for a station.

However... Channel 4 now have a massive funding problem, so they ditched the entire plan late last year (after spending quite a lot of money planning it). It doesn't seem likely another company will take up the plans instead either, since DAB just isn't being taken up anywhere quickly enough.

Adam · January 07, 2009, 02:06:55 PM

I think I remember you Phoebe! I am sure you are mentioned on an old podcast somewhere. I like both Allan and The General, and I enjoyed both their shows. However, The General's show was much better than I thought it was going to be and he brought something different to it, compared to Allan. By the way, if anyone is confused why we are returning to someone called The General, we are talking about someone called Adam Morris, who was given the nickname of The General E, as he was Allan's sidekick and did generally everything, therefore, the nickname. He took over evening when Allan left.

With regards to Radio Disney, what Anthony posted is correct. However, the multiplex (bunch of radio stations) may be readvertised, with Disney offering Radio Disney again, or reformed without Channel 4. However, it is extremely unlikely. Also, my source has previously said that Disney have not officially pulled out of launching Radio Disney and they have no news on the station currently. DAB is doing surprisingly well considering everthing, with new advertising for Christmas and figures likely to be around 500,000 radios sold in December, based on previous years, current trends and new stations. You never know what might happen!

Anyway, any more Capital Disney fans out there? Anthony, what about you?

MinniesBestPal · January 07, 2009, 09:46:45 PM

Hahaha oh great! XD Re living old memories! I would always request the same song aswell!

I downloaded the american radio disney podcasts last eyar but they weren't nearly as good.

I can remember some random people off the show! That guy Phil, I think? He'd ring in from time to time!

Javey74 · January 07, 2009, 11:06:55 PM

I think it would be brilliant to have a Disney Radio Station playing classics all day, even programmes featuring old and new park music. I'd be tuned in for sure..

/

Adam · January 07, 2009, 11:24:32 PM

I tried the Radio Disney podcasts, but they weren't very good. They don't have the same humour that Capital Disney have over at Radio Disney. Good old Phil in Blackpool. Legend. That just shows how good a station it was, a 50-odd man and his wife enjoyed listening to the station for the music and the good humour!

Javey, there are a few internet radio stations out there that do play the background music from the parks. Capital Disney used to play the modern Disney music, such as the soundtracks from the latest films and television series, which would have continued on Radio Disney.

Javey74 · January 07, 2009, 11:31:48 PM

Quote from: "Adam"I tried the Radio Disney podcasts, but they weren't very good. They don't have the same humour that Capital Disney have over at Radio Disney. Good old Phil in Blackpool. Legend. That just shows how good a station it was, a 50-odd man and his wife enjoyed listening to the station for the music and the good humour!

Javey, there are a few internet radio stations out there that do play the background music from the parks. Capital Disney used to play the modern Disney music, such as the soundtracks from the latest films and television series, which would have continued on Radio Disney.

Well it definitely needs bringing back, I've got a DAB radio in the kitchen and I used to listen to 'Cool Country', that's off-air aswell.. :x :evil: Then I noticed 'Capital Disney' had gone... :evil: :evil: What's the radio coming too these days. :roll:

Luckily I bought a DAB radio at the time with MP3 built in, so I tend to listen to my Disney Mix I have put onto the memory card within, to make up for my losses..

Anthony · January 08, 2009, 06:41:34 PM

I never listened to Capital Disney... I don't think I really knew what it was. I never watch the Disney Channel either.

Quote from: "Adam"DAB is doing surprisingly well considering everthing, with new advertising for Christmas and figures likely to be around 500,000 radios sold in December, based on previous years, current trends and new stations. You never know what might happen!

It's not doing so badly after all then. Take up is good, but non-BBC stations still seem to struggle massively. I was playing with ours in the kitchen earlier and found they're filling space with a "Birdsong" station. :lol: The big trigger for restarting the plans would probably if/when they announce a digital radio switchover, which I did read about a few months ago, but seems very unlikely. How does DAB work for car radios, for example?

I don't see why Disney couldn't do an online radio station though. Or try to get some freeview space. These days I usually listen almost 50/50 between freeview and online. And perhaps the one radio audience the BBC don't quite cater for (except bits on Radio 7) is children (and older kids like us).

Adam · January 08, 2009, 07:05:05 PM

The digital switchover is likely to trigger a significant pickup of DAB radios, but as that is currently tenatively scheduled for 2017-2020, the industry can't wait until then. However, I think 2009 could be the year to turn things around. There have been a good few new stations launch in the last year, such as the new Jazz FM, NME and Q Radio, as well as existing stations like former Capital Disney sister station Fun Kids Radio. I predict that some major changes will take place during this year, with hopefully some new stations! DAB in car works through the aerial on the car or using a new aerial. It can use a new radio installed in the car, or using the FM transmission technology being used to listen to your ipod and so on in the car, by transmitting the DAB radio via a FM frequency from a device such as Pure Highway to your in car radio.

There is no reason why Disney couldn't start up a radio station within a few weeks. There is the internet, which is easy, and there is capacity on DAB across the UK on DigitalOne, the existing multiplex, or on the local multiplexes, with capacity on Freesat and possibly Virgin Media and Sky. Freeview is an interest one. In the same way as DAB, there is only a specific amount of space available. However, as they keep improving the technology and compression, there is actually some space for some radio stations available. They would have to bid for them, but it is Disney and I think they would be able to beat the competition easily!

As far as I can tell, Disney are still committed to radio, which is why they planned Radio Disney, but unfortunately, Channel 4 mucked it up for everyone! Hopefully, Disney will sort themselves out and get a new station soon.

Any more Capital Disney fans out there?