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Radio Disney to launch on up to 60 HD subchannels

TheBigA said:
My take on it is that it was a nice short-term press release for iBiquity during NAB week in Vegas. Other than here, it's already forgotten, as the convention is over.
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Well, at least it keeps Radio Disney over the air in some form (once the last of the AM's gets sold).
 
Was a list of affiliates ever released? Generally when you tout your programming's availability, the first thing you do is say where exactly people can hear it.

Neither Radio Disney nor the iBiquity people have published this info, as far as I can tell.
 
TheBigA said:
How many stations remain in the Disney family? If it's 60, then you know the answer.
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The list of stations on Wikipedia from before the fire sale shows 21 active affiliates and around 64 defunct ones.

Since RD's goal is to get down to just the one in California, I'm not sure there will be much overlap at all. A lot of their affiliates were outside the top 50 markets, which is where the ad system rollout seems to be concentrated.
 
tomservo said:
A lot of their affiliates were outside the top 50 markets, which is where the ad system rollout seems to be concentrated.
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I'm all for iBiquity diversifying their business, but an ad network of 60 HD-only stations outside the Top 50 isn't going to bring in a lot of money. As I said, it makes for a nice short term press release during the NAB Convention, but when the ink dries, it doesn't mean much.
 
Will getting on HD2-3 in a market where their AMs are presently increase the chance of getting a translator?
If so, then that would increase the value, sale of the local AM they want to get rid of.
 
tomservo said:
The list of stations on Wikipedia from before the fire sale shows 21 active affiliates and around 64 defunct ones.

Since RD's goal is to get down to just the one in California, I'm not sure there will be much overlap at all. A lot of their affiliates were outside the top 50 markets, which is where the ad system rollout seems to be concentrated.
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Well, I would imagine Disney O&O's would be the likely landing spot for the new RD platform. Walt Disney will still own stations such as KESN in Dallas, where the Radio Disney product could easily be placed on a subchannel. I'm pretty sure Disney will still own a station in 7 or 8 of the top 10 markets, not counting the current RD facilities. Other markets, like here in Houston, would have to lease a subchannel. There's plenty of them down here to go around, some with an analog translator already packaged together with them. Seems to me that solution certainly cuts down on the operation costs compared to maintaining all of those sub par AMs currently in the Disney portfolio.

Edit to add: Looked it up, and Disney only owns Dallas, L.A., & Chicago facilities outright. N.Y. & Boston are LMAed. Still, it's a start. I've got to go with the Big A here. Sounds like much ado about nothing.
 
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Lester_the_NightFly said:
Will getting on HD2-3 in a market where their AMs are presently increase the chance of getting a translator?
If so, then that would increase the value, sale of the local AM they want to get rid of.
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If they wanted a translator, the would/should have applied long ago for the AM stations. Having an HD channel that is leased does not enhance getting a translator.

In any case, much of the remaining AM station portfolio has already been sold.
 
Of course Disney also owns ESPN. ESPN has an FM in NYC. And ESPN Radio (which is now syndicated by Disney) is on a bunch of AMs around the country. Could Disney leverage that affiliation relationship to help this deal? I'm just askin,' here
 
That's very possible, frank, if any can be had. FM is jam packed in most markets.

I think it's great if it's available on a terrestrial basis again. Not every kid has a family that can afford satellite. I get that HD has minimal penetration, but if they do reappear on a translator basis as frank predicts that will be a good outcome.
 
TheBigA said:
Why?
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Because it is just icing on the cake. It it not their main platform for content. Adding the HD method of delivery will not make or break their business model. (Their model is not dependent on HD radio...or any other radio.)

Remember, they were happy to do without any over the air broadcasting of Radio Disney.
 
umfan said:
That's very possible, frank, if any can be had. FM is jam packed in most markets.

I think it's great if it's available on a terrestrial basis again. Not every kid has a family that can afford satellite. I get that HD has minimal penetration, but if they do reappear on a translator basis as frank predicts that will be a good outcome.
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I hear a lot of people bashing Sirius XM's subscription based business model, but those supposedly poor families that can't afford satellite are probably subscribing to cable or satellite TV or Netflix or Hulu for TV. Somebody did a study on welfare recipients and found most of them have large flat screen TVs, cell phones (which cost a heck of a lot more per month that Sirius XM), and many other things we would consider luxury items.

Satellite works a heck of a lot better than HD radio - its only weakness is under bridges on the freeway. Where HD drops out all over town in micro-nulls. The sound isn't great, but it is better than HD-3 when the station divides up the bitrate equally.

One detail - if getting on FM is their end game - why did they sell their one FM outlet?
 
rbrucecarter5 said:
Satellite works a heck of a lot better than HD radio - its only weakness is under bridges on the freeway.
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Thick foliage overhead is also a significant signal blocker, as are high hills close to the roadside that block the path of the signal from the geostationary satellites. Reception in the "concrete jungles" of cities is becoming a bigger issue as SiriusXM has been shutting down repeaters for several years now.
 
That's true. I've found SiriusXM to be much more likely to drop out in dense urban or heavily wooded highways than with my cars equipped with HD radio.

Bruce needs to invest in a better radio.
 
TheBigA said:
I'm talking about iBiquity, not Radio Disney.

iBiquity is the one announcing the ad network.
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Because putting Radio Disney programming on an HD network is relatively cheap. The programming is already produced.

As far as goodwill and value-added: It helps bring more awareness to HD....by putting quality programming on their HD channels.
 
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