Radio Disney, Rick Dees Team For New Show

Ernie D. Martinez, Rick Dees

Radio Disney and Dees Entertainment Thursday announced an innovative distribution agreement that will provide radio stations across the United States access to the Radio Disney Top 30, a weekly program featuring the most popular songs among kids and families.

The syndication agreement is expected to increase Radio Disney’s brand affinity and reach through Hot Adult Contemporary and Top 40 format radio stations, and through local cross-promotional opportunities and events

Dees Entertainment is an entertainment content distributor owned by radio icon Rick Dees. The company syndicates over 50 hours of content each week including five editions of the hugely popular Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 countdown show to over 1000 affiliates worldwide. Dees Entertainment programming is heard by more than 70 million people in virtually every city in the United States, an additional 125 countries, 27 cruise ships and on the Armed Forces Radio Network and via digital platforms including Rick.com.

The three hour Radio Disney Top 30, hosted by popular on-air personality Ernest “Ernie D” Martinez, originates from Radio Disney’s Burbank studios. The program showcases music and entertainment that’s relevant to kids, tweens and families and includes exclusive news and artist and celebrity interviews both in-studio and from sets and special events.

In making the announcement, Phil Guerini, Vice President, Programming and General Manager, Radio Disney, said, “One of our greatest attributes is that parents consider Radio Disney to be a trusted music-centric environment that encourages connections between them and their kids as they listen together.” He continued, “Rick Dees is a visionary who has long tapped into exactly what people want in pop music so we stand to benefit enormously from the expertise and resources of the global business he’s built.”

Rick Dees said, “Disney is synonymous with world-class family programming, and Ernie Martinez brings likeability and broad appeal as well as relevant music for kids and families, a reason why this show has such terrific potential for stations who are looking for family-friendly music programming.