• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Drudge: ABC nearing sale of radio network

Re: Drudge: ABC nearing sale of radio network and owned stations

The full story has been posted at www.drudgereport.com/flashar.htm.

Drudge is reporting that the deal would not include either ESPN Radio or the Radio Disney networks; and be a "Reverse Morris Trust", where Disney stockholders will still hold a 50% share of the "newly-merged" company.

I'm not an expert on "Reverse Morris Trusts", so I wonder if Disney/ABC may only be selling off a 50% share of the company's radio stations. I'd appreciate an explanation.
 
ABC O&Os with Radio Disney

Will new owner be required by some sort of contract to keep the Radio Disney AMs in many major markets in that format?
For example: In Philly, the Radio Disney affiliate has a decent daytime dignal over a large part of the market. Someone else might like to put some other sort of talk format on the station.
Also: What about the markets (Philly again, an example) where there are these stand-alone AMs? What would Emmis or Entercom do with them ... possibly re-sell them to another group (Clear Channel would work in Philly) that have groups in those cities?
 
Re: Disney and ESPN not part of deal... if there is one.

> Will new owner be required by some sort of contract to keep
> the Radio Disney AMs in many major markets in that format?

The ABC management and board have said over and over that a potential sale of radio would not include the Radio Disney or ESPN stations as these are part of a branding of a larger product in each case.
 
Re: Disney and ESPN not part of deal... if there is one.

> > Will new owner be required by some sort of contract to
> keep
> > the Radio Disney AMs in many major markets in that format?
>
>
> The ABC management and board have said over and over that a
> potential sale of radio would not include the Radio Disney
> or ESPN stations as these are part of a branding of a larger
> product in each case.
>
Thanks. Maybe it's the sources I read, but that certainly hasn't been clear in most stories.
 
Re: Disney and ESPN not part of deal... if there is one.

> > > Will new owner be required by some sort of contract to
> > keep
> > > the Radio Disney AMs in many major markets in that
> format?
> >
> >
> > The ABC management and board have said over and over that
> a
> > potential sale of radio would not include the Radio Disney
>
> > or ESPN stations as these are part of a branding of a
> larger
> > product in each case.
> >
> Thanks. Maybe it's the sources I read, but that certainly
> hasn't been clear in most stories.
>
Yeah. It's clear that they're not selling the formats, but they're keeping their O&O stations that have those formats and just selling all the others? I'm not even sure how many ESPN/Disney stations they actually own beyond WESN and WQEW. . .
 
Re: Disney and ESPN not part of deal... if there is one.

> Yeah. It's clear that they're not selling the formats, but
> they're keeping their O&O stations that have those formats
> and just selling all the others? I'm not even sure how many
> ESPN/Disney stations they actually own beyond WESN and WQEW.

They own both the Radio Disney and ESPN stations in Chicago and LA, as well as in NYC. There are probably several others where they own their stations on both networks.

They also own Radio Disney's KMIK 1580 in Phoenix, the area's lone fulltime 50 kW station (but not ESPN Radio 860, aka KMVP, which is owned by Bonneville).

So, would that mean that WLS in Chicago will be sold, but not WMVP and WRDZ? Doesn't make sense.
 
Re: Disney and ESPN not part of deal... if there is one.

> > Yeah. It's clear that they're not selling the formats,
> but
> > they're keeping their O&O stations that have those formats
>
> > and just selling all the others? I'm not even sure how
> many
> > ESPN/Disney stations they actually own beyond WESN and
> WQEW.
>
> They own both the Radio Disney and ESPN stations in Chicago
> and LA, as well as in NYC. There are probably several
> others where they own their stations on both networks.
>
> They also own Radio Disney's KMIK 1580 in Phoenix, the
> area's lone fulltime 50 kW station (but not ESPN Radio 860,
> aka KMVP, which is owned by Bonneville).
>
> So, would that mean that WLS in Chicago will be sold, but
> not WMVP and WRDZ? Doesn't make sense.
>
No, it doesn't. Why sell KABC, WABC, and WLS only to keep lesser stations in those markets that have pet corporate formats (one of which is a complete Pluto-esque dog anyway)?

And if they're selling the news operation, how will this affect Paul Harvey? It'd be a shame if corporate politics forced him out before he was ready to leave on his own terms.
 
Re: Disney and ESPN not part of deal... if there is one.

> >
> No, it doesn't. Why sell KABC, WABC, and WLS only to keep
> lesser stations in those markets that have pet corporate
> formats (one of which is a complete Pluto-esque dog anyway)?

The ESPN and Disney statins are not considered part of the radio division, but part of a marketing package for the ESPN brand and the Disney brand. They are not stand alone money generators, but part of a package that includes retail outlets, TV, cable, movies, etc.

Obviously, this could change. But they will not sell the Disney or ESPN brands, and nobody is going to want the collection of less than perfect AMs with no programming!
 
Re: Disney and ESPN not part of deal... if there is one.

Disney does not own WQEW. They're still leasing or LMAing it from the New York Times.
 
Re: Drudge: ABC nearing sale of radio network and owned stations

> The full story has been posted at
> www.drudgereport.com/flashar.htm.
>
> Drudge is reporting that the deal would not include either
> ESPN Radio or the Radio Disney networks; and be a "Reverse
> Morris Trust", where Disney stockholders will still hold a
> 50% share of the "newly-merged" company.
>
> I'm not an expert on "Reverse Morris Trusts", so I wonder if
> Disney/ABC may only be selling off a 50% share of the
> company's radio stations. I'd appreciate an explanation.
>
follow this link for an explaination: http://www.ffhsj.com/cmemos/0076257.htm
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom