Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Radio Disney
After 25 years on air, Radio Disney has announced that it will cease operations in 2021. Since launching back in 1996, the station has served as a springboard for such tween pop pioneers as Miley Cyrus, Hilary Duff, the Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, Aaron Carter, Jump 5, A * Teens, and even Rihanna in the early stages of her career.
In a press statement, Disney attributed the closure to "the fast evolving media environment that provides more personalized music choices than ever," as well as "the ongoing public health crisis that continues to affect in-person music events." Though the North American iterations of Radio Disney and it's country cousin, Radio Disney Country, will no longer air in 2021, the statement notes that the Latin American division "is a separate operation and is not impacted by the announcement today." Read the full press release below.
Radio Disney and Radio Disney Country will cease operations in the first quarter of 2021. The announcement was made today by Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer, Disney Branded Television, who today addressed the 36 full- and part-time employees who will be impacted by the closure early next year.
Radio Disney in Latin America is a separate operation and is not impacted by the announcement today.
The difficult decision to close these two radio networks coincided with Disney’s recently announced structural changes that call for Disney Branded Television to sharpen its focus on increasing production of kids’ and family content for Disney+ and Disney Channels. Division leaders also took into account the fast evolving media environment that provides more personalized music choices than ever to a generation of young consumers, and the ongoing public health crisis that continues to affect in-person music events.