Disney radio aims to cash in on pester power
Julia Day
Wednesday October 16, 2002
LONDON (Guardian Unlimited) -- Walt Disney is abandoning the "no advertising" pledge that governs its UK television channel for a new radio station aimed at the nation's children.
The company will launch the digital station in a joint venture with Capital Radio tomorrow and plans to advertise to the under-16s through mobile phones and computers.
Capital Disney is the first radio station dedicated to children and hopes to cash in on youngsters' love of pop music and cartoons.
There may even be room for more cerebral fare. BBC Radio 4's eight-hour Harry Potter broadcast on Boxing Day last year attracted an audience of 1 million children but programming tailored to their tastes is rarely broadcast.
Studies have shown UK children receive pocket money worth £1bn in total each year.
Parents splash out a further £4bn for non-essential items, such as trainers and CDs, for their children.
A main commercial feature of Capital Disney will be a website enabling children to get involved with the shows and play games.
The site is expected to add to parents' worries by increasing "pester power". The website, which will tell children to "start saving that pocket money now", will showcase expensive toys and provide links to other sites where they can be bought online.
For instance, the "Inspect A Gadget" area features a £199 Nikko camera car and links to the Firebox site where it can be bought.
Capital Disney will pump out a mix of chart music, competitions, games and speech-based programmes focusing on entertainment, news, sport and technology.
Paul Robinson, the managing director of Disney UK branded television, said: "Capital's expertise and Disney's knowledge of UK children's tastes will help build a radio station that is completely different to the existing commercial and BBC services."
TV presenters from the Disney Channel will host the key breakfast, after-school and evening shows on the radio station.
Capital Disney will have a potential audience of 25 million listeners.
It will broadcast on Capital's Cube digital radio stations in five regions including London, the west Midlands and the North-east.
Although there are only 70,000 digital radio sets in use in the UK, Capital and Disney are hoping their new venture will bring more listeners to the medium.
Julia Day
Wednesday October 16, 2002
LONDON (Guardian Unlimited) -- Walt Disney is abandoning the "no advertising" pledge that governs its UK television channel for a new radio station aimed at the nation's children.
The company will launch the digital station in a joint venture with Capital Radio tomorrow and plans to advertise to the under-16s through mobile phones and computers.
Capital Disney is the first radio station dedicated to children and hopes to cash in on youngsters' love of pop music and cartoons.
There may even be room for more cerebral fare. BBC Radio 4's eight-hour Harry Potter broadcast on Boxing Day last year attracted an audience of 1 million children but programming tailored to their tastes is rarely broadcast.
Studies have shown UK children receive pocket money worth £1bn in total each year.
Parents splash out a further £4bn for non-essential items, such as trainers and CDs, for their children.
A main commercial feature of Capital Disney will be a website enabling children to get involved with the shows and play games.
The site is expected to add to parents' worries by increasing "pester power". The website, which will tell children to "start saving that pocket money now", will showcase expensive toys and provide links to other sites where they can be bought online.
For instance, the "Inspect A Gadget" area features a £199 Nikko camera car and links to the Firebox site where it can be bought.
Capital Disney will pump out a mix of chart music, competitions, games and speech-based programmes focusing on entertainment, news, sport and technology.
Paul Robinson, the managing director of Disney UK branded television, said: "Capital's expertise and Disney's knowledge of UK children's tastes will help build a radio station that is completely different to the existing commercial and BBC services."
TV presenters from the Disney Channel will host the key breakfast, after-school and evening shows on the radio station.
Capital Disney will have a potential audience of 25 million listeners.
It will broadcast on Capital's Cube digital radio stations in five regions including London, the west Midlands and the North-east.
Although there are only 70,000 digital radio sets in use in the UK, Capital and Disney are hoping their new venture will bring more listeners to the medium.
