The Walt Disney Co. is shutting down Radio Disney and Radio Disney Country operations, effective the first quarter of 2021.

The move comes as Disney continues to emphasize streaming and at a time when the media business is changing, giving kids more personalized music choices and the pandemic prevents Radio Disney from holding in-person events that attract sponsors.

Disney has been restructuring to focus on its direct-to-consumer business. Combined with the pandemic, which has devastated the company’s theme parks and movie business, the company reported a $710 million loss for its fiscal fourth quarter and has eliminated thousands of employees to reduce costs.

Related: Disney Consolidates TV Studios Under Burke

Launched in 1996, Radio Disney helped launch young Disney music stars including the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, as well as Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, and One Direction. In 2013, it began producing the Radio Disney Music Awards, which were televised on Disney Channel and showcased stars like Ariana Grande, Gwen Stefani, Meghan Trainor and Zendaya.

Radio Disney’s 36 staffers were informed of plans to cease operations Thursday morning via a teleconference with Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer, Disney Branded Television.

"I want to thank Phil Guerini [Radio Disney’s general manager] and the entire Radio Disney team for their work over the years to cultivate and amplify the careers of music artists that became the definitive voices of their generation,” Marsh said. “The innovation and creativity of this team helped to deliver unforgettable experiences. Radio Disney has made an indelible impact on my family – and on millions of others."

The Radio Disney staffers will lose their jobs early next year and receive an enhanced severance package.

The decision to close follows Disney’s exit from the radio station business, which began in 2007 and concluded with the sale of five Radio Disney stations to Salem Media Group for $2.225 million in 2015. Radio Disney kept one local station, KRDC-AM, Los Angeles, to originate its national programming feed. Disney will sell that station in 2021.

Related: Radio Disney Moving Off Air to Digital

Sirius XM started carrying Radio Disney in 2002 and its current deal expired at the end of the year.

The shut down process will take a few months, and the Radio Disney signal will be turned off in the first quarter.

In 2005, Radio Disney was available in 97% of the U.S. through more than 50 radio stations and SiriusXM and had offshoots in the U.K., Japan and Latin America.

The radio network became part of the Disney Channels business in 2006, consolidating the company’s kids business. Radio Disney showcased Disney Channel music and Disney Channel aired music videos. The strategy drove demand for soundtracks released by Walt Disney Records, including High School Musical, the top selling album that year.

In 2008, Radio Disney's Next Big Thing (NBT), a multi-platform feature to showcase emerging recording artists, launched, boosting Shawn Mendes, Becky G, Fifth Harmony and others.

Radio Disney Country launched in 2015 as a digital only platform and expanded it in 2017 with the launch of two Los Angeles terrestrial stations and increased digital streaming.

Radio Disney opened a state-of-the-art studio in Burbank in 2009. Artists and celebrities would visit the studio for interviews and acoustic performances that became a big part of Radio Disney’s programming.

Radio Disney in Latin America is a separate operation and is not impacted by the U.S. shutdown announcement.

Radio Disney will look to turn up the volume on its upcoming Radio Disney Music Awards event by hosting a series of music concerts leading up to Disney Channel’s April 26 RDMA telecast.

On The Road to the RDMAs kicks off in New York at the YouTube Space with a concert featuring recording artists Becky G and Jacquie Lee, and hosted by Radio Disney's Alli Simpson and Ernie D. Other concert stops include Macon, Ga., Houston, YouTube Space Los Angeles, Orlando, Fla., and Anaheim, Calif, said company officials. More information about each event will be available at www.Disney.com/RDMA.

The tour, which Disney officials hope to drive voting and excitement about the RDMAs, will culminate with a free RDMA Pre-Show Festival that will take place in Los Angeles in the hours leading up to the April 25 RMDA Awards show, said Disney officials.

Disney Channel will air a 90-minute television special originating from the event on April 26, said network officials.

Ariana Grande, One Direction,Taylor Swift and Fifth Harmony are among the music artists nominated for the 2015 Radio Disney Music Awards, Disney executives said.

Grande as well as Taylor were nominated in the Best Female Artist category, while British boy band One Direction and girl group Fifth Harmony drew nods for Best Music Group, according to Disney. Winners will be announced at the 2015 Radio Disney Music Awards on April 25,  with a 90-minute television special originating from the event to be presented April 26 on Disney Channel. 

Fans can vote for the winners on Disney's Radio Disney Music Awards site, as well as through the Radio Disney app and via Radio Disney's Facebook and Twitter social media sites.

The categories and nominees for the 2015 Radio Disney Music Awards are:

They're The One – Best Music Group

5 Seconds of Summer

Fifth Harmony

One Direction

He's The One – Best Male Artist

Ed Sheeran

Nick Jonas

Pharrell Williams

She's The One – Best Female Artist

Ariana Grande

Meghan Trainor

Taylor Swift

The Bestest – Song Of The Year

Problem (feat. Iggy Azalea) – Ariana Grande

All About That Bass – Meghan Trainor

Shake It Off – Taylor Swift

XOXO – Best Crush Song

Jealous – Nick Jonas

Steal My Girl – One Direction

Can't Blame a Girl For Trying – Sabrina Carpenter

So FANtastic – Fiercest Fans

Directioners – One Direction

Harmonizers – Fifth Harmony

R5Family – R5

The Freshest – Best New Artist

Charli XCX

Echosmith

Shawn Mendes

So Happy – Best Song That Makes You Smile

Happy – Pharrell Williams

Smile – R5

Sugar – Maroon 5

#Cool – Radio Disney's Most Talked About Artist

@arianagrande

@taylorswift13

@5sos

Stuck In Our Heads – Catchiest New Song (Presented By BAND-AID Brand)

Shower – Becky G

Bo$$ - Fifth Harmony

Classic - MKTO

That's My Jam – Best Song To Rock Out To With Your BFF

Young Blood – Bea Miller

Cool Kids – Echosmith

Geronimo – Sheppard

Move! – Best Song To Dance To

Shake It Off – Taylor Swift

All About That Bass – Meghan Trainor

Too Cool To Dance – Eden XO

Hit The Road – Best Breakup Song

Really Don't Care (feat. Cher Lloyd) – Demi Lovato

Heartbreak Heard Around The World – Jacob Latimore

The Heart Wants What It Wants – Selena Gomez

You're So Fancy! – Artist With The Best Style

Ariana Grande

Becky G

Zendaya

Musical Mashup – Best Collaboration

Really Don't Care (feat. Cher Lloyd) – Demi Lovato

Wrapped Up (feat. Travie McCoy) – Olly Murs

Somebody To You (feat. Demi Lovato) – The Vamps