Apple to buy Disney?

[Bosunsfate]

Hey, I just watched on my local TV station (KTVU San Francisco) that Apple is likely to buy Disney!!!!:confused:

Holy crap, what's that about and does anyone else just get that ick feeling?:(

*EDIT*
Okay, so I wan't to crazy, here's a report from MacWorld.
http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=13950&Page=1&pagePos=1

[yellow]

No..

Why/how would Apple buy Disney?

1) Steve Jobs can't just say, I want to spend all the money Apple has on buying Disney. He would have to get approval from the stock holders and the board of directors?

2) What does Apple/Jobs know about running 3 theme parks, managing 80 year old icons, selling stuffed toys, putting out hundreds of movies a year?

[question fear]

Besides which, a great deal of this speculation comes from Disney buying Pixar; Steve Jobs now controls a large chunk of disney stock. It's unlikely that he'd essentially buy himself out. Also, I wonder how that would work as far as insider trading...Steve Jobs the stockholder knows what Steve Jobs the CEO of Apple knows about what Apple wants to do with Disney...it's enough to make your head spin.

[MisterMe]

No..

Why/how would Apple buy Disney?

1) Steve Jobs can't just say, I want to spend all the money Apple has on buying Disney. He would have to get approval from the stock holders and the board of directors?

2) What does Apple/Jobs know about running 3 theme parks, managing 80 year old icons, selling stuffed toys, putting out hundreds of movies a year?It's called a leveraged buyout. Apple would borrow money for the purchase using the assets of Disney are collateral. Money is not the issue. The issue is that Jobs seems to understand today's market better than most business people today. Elsewhere in the industry, you see that Viacom just split itself up. It really makes no sense for Apple to own such disparate properties as Disney World Paris, ESPN, and the ABC affiliate in Houston, TX. Let us not forget that such a move would hurt some of Apple's current fledgling operations. NBC Universal is now an enthusiastic content provider of video content on the iTMS. It is trying to bring CBS and Viacom into the fold.

Just because someone writes something doesn't mean that they are smarter than anyone else.

[yellow]

Ah, I completely forgot about ESPN and ABC. Thanks for bringing that up.


Even bigger reasons to not buy Disney.

[Bosunsfate]

This is what I don't get. This buy out would only benefit Disney. The benefits for Apple are very questionable at best.

One could argue that with Steve Jobs as the largest shareholder in Disney and that he would make this decision based upon his own benefit in Disney....but hey that means he cuts his right hand off to spite his left.:rolleyes:

All, I know, is that if I were to see Apple and Mickey together, I might just throw up.:mad:

[maestro55]

I am not huge into the business world, but I would say that I don't think this would be a good move for Apple. Like others pointed out, it really isn't Steve Jobs' field. Steve Jobs needs to focus on Apple and focus on continuing to innovate the world of technology. I guess I personally wouldn't like to see this happen; because I am not a huge disney fan.

[MisterMe]

This is what I don't get. This buy out would only benefit Disney. The benefits for Apple are very questionable at best.

....You are correct that it would not benefit Apple. However, leveraged buyouts rarely benefit the object of the buyout, which is Disney in this case. They benefit a few stockholders at most. Disney would likely be broken up to finance the acquisition. Because of Disney's broad range of activities in broadcasting, there would be major regulatory hurdles to jump even with the business-friendly Bush Administration. For years, the new Apple would be distracted from its core business. Such a deal has "dumb idea" written all over it.

[OCOTILLO]

Apple buying Disney would be like AOL buying Time Warner - probably with similar results.