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Capital Disney facts for kids

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Capital Disney
CapitalDisneyLargeLogo.PNG
Broadcast area United Kingdom
Frequency DAB
Sky Digital: 0175
Virgin Media: 960
and Online
Programming
Format 8 - 16 Year Old Music & Chart
Ownership
Owner GCap Media PLC/The Walt Disney Company
Sister stations
95.8 Capital FM
History
First air date
16 September 2002; 22 years ago (16 September 2002)
Last air date
29 June 2007; 18 years ago (29 June 2007)
Former call signs
Cube
Links
Website www.capitaldisney.co.uk

Capital Disney was a radio station in the United Kingdom. It was made for young people aged 8 to 16. The station broadcast using DAB digital radio in some parts of the UK.

Capital Disney started on September 16, 2002. It was a joint project between GCap Media and The Walt Disney Company. You could also listen to it on Sky Digital, Tiscali TV, Virgin Media, and online. The station announced it would close on May 14, 2007. Its last day of broadcasting was June 29, 2007.

This station was one of the first in the UK to use digital radio (DAB). It was special because it focused only on kids and teenagers. Capital Disney broadcasted music and shows with presenters all day, every day.

How Capital Disney Started

In 1998, the Capital Radio Group wanted to create a radio station just for kids. They planned to call it Fun Radio. It was going to play pop music for 8-16 year olds. Even though their first attempt didn't work out, they still wanted to launch this new type of station.

From Cube to Capital Disney

Before Capital Disney, there was a station called Cube. It started in 2001 in parts of England and Wales. Cube played new pop music for young teens. Not many people listened to Cube at first because DAB digital radio was very new.

Cube was known for its fast-paced music. It also had live DJs, which was unusual for digital radio back then. Between songs, Cube played short, fun clips. These clips taught listeners things, like "How Does a Piano Work?". This showed that Cube wasn't just about music.

What Music Did Capital Disney Play?

Capital Disney played a mix of popular chart music and songs from new artists. At first, they sometimes played talking story books during school hours. Later, they changed this to non-stop music from 9 AM to 1 PM. After that, a DJ named James Beckingham hosted a show until 4 PM.

The station also played artists that weren't often heard on mainstream radio. This included bands like The Lovebites. They also played album tracks from popular artists. Overnight, Capital Disney played non-stop hit songs. Before 2003, they used to play chillout music overnight. This chillout music then moved to their sister station, Chill.

Meet the Presenters

Many different people hosted shows on Capital Disney. When the station closed, the main presenters were:

  • Adam Morris (known as The General)
  • James Beckingham
  • Matt James
  • Val Mellon
  • Leigh Purves
  • Nigel Mitchell
  • Andrew Rendle (known as Radio Rendle)
  • Adam O'Neill
  • Saffron Oddy
  • Sophie Bruce

Other presenters who worked there before included Allan Lake, Tim Lichfield (Tiger Tim), Korry Denison, Andy Kench, Dan Marsh, Kelli Nelson, Will Chambers, Carl Carter, and Gema Ensenat.

Awards and Recognition

Capital Disney won several awards for being a great radio station:

  • In 2004, it won the NTL Digital Radio Station of the Year award.
  • In 2005, the station won a Sony Radio Academy award. It was named 'Digital Terrestrial Radio Station' of the year. The judges said Capital Disney "filled a genuine gap in the market" and "directly met the needs of an under-served audience."
  • In 2006, Capital Disney was nominated for the same Sony Radio Academy award again. The judges praised the station, saying it was "warm, funny and inventive." They also noted it never talked down to its young listeners.
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