Radio Disney to air scripted serial

LOS ANGELES  - Disney is going retro.

Starting Monday, its kid-targeted Radio Disney network will air a scripted serial called "My Dream," a contemporary story on a format reminiscent of the 1940s, before TV was pervasive.

Unlike Depression-era radio serials that typically featured episodes lasting 30 minutes, episodes of "My Dream" will last just 90 seconds each. "Bite-size chunks," as Radio Disney GM Michael Riley put it.

An original episode will debut each day, five days a week, for a month. Each episode will air four times on Radio Disney.

"My Dream" stars 13-year-old Daphne Blunt as Kayla, a teenager trying to make a name for herself in the music industry while dealing with the usual struggles, responsibilities and emotional ups and downs of an everyday teen. Blunt's credits include stints on "The Young and the Restless" and "Big Time Rush."

Disney said it hasn't lined up a sponsor for the show. "We really wanted to capitalize on what makes radio ," Riley said. "It's a back-to-the-future concept."

Disney is known for incubating successful cross-platform franchises; it's not inconceivable that "My Dream" could be a TV show someday. Right out of the gate, in fact, it will be an online property; the episodes will be available on-demand at Disney.com, which will feature video snippets of Kayla.

While Blunt's singing is part of the show, there are no plans to include her in Radio Disney's regular lineup of tunes alongside the likes of Miley Cyrus and Jonas Brothers.