Disney Buys Pixar for $7.4 Billion

[splashman]

Geez, part deux

Must be a short cry... at Disney all of those come under the same title group.

Okay, be nice. You're not arguing my point, are you? An org chart is one thing; day-to-day responsibilities are quite another. "In charge of theme parks" sounds to me like an administrative position, and one that Lasseter would never accept, IMHO. Wouldn't you agree?

 

[AtHomeBoy_2000]

Microsoft Purchases Evil From Satan?

I was just watching CNBC and they were talking about the Pixar/Disney deal. THe three people on the show basically agreed that Jobs is now more culturally relivant that Bill Gates and that this deal makes Gates look like someone who is just wondering around with no idea of what's going on. It's a great commentary and it think they are right.

 

[AtHomeBoy_2000]

I'm sure this won't help with Apple's relationships with other media companies.

Other companies are already going other routes. MTV and VH1 allined themselves with microsoft and CBS is looking into its own distribution model.

 

[splashman]

Jobs jeopardize Apple for $$?

Steve Jobs has lined his pockets at the expense of Apple's future. I'm sure this
won't help with Apple's relationships with other media companies.

I hope I am wrong.

I hope so, too. But it seems to me that Jobs lining his pockets is beside the point. He could have sold to Disney without accepting a board position, don't you think?

And it also seems to me that considering that Apple is the apple of Jobs' eye, and where his passion lies, Occam's Razor says he wouldn't jeopardize his baby for $$, even if it is a few billion $$. I doubt $$ is in his top 10 priorities, and I'm sure he's got the long view in mind re: Apple.

Here's one possibility: If he can maintain the media platform dominance (iPod + iTMS) and extend it with other devices, eventually all the content providers will have little choice but to deal with him. A risky strategy, to be sure, but it sounds good to me. When another company comes up with an integrated solution (hardware+software+service) that's even half as good as Apple's, I'll start to worry.

 

[Kirkmedia]

I hope so, too. But it seems to me that Jobs lining his pockets is beside the point. He could have sold to Disney without accepting a board position, don't you think?

And it also seems to me that considering that Apple is the apple of Jobs' eye, and where his passion lies, Occam's Razor says he wouldn't jeopardize his baby for $$, even if it is a few billion $$. I doubt $$ is in his top 10 priorities, and I'm sure he's got the long view in mind re: Apple.

Here's one possibility: If he can maintain the media platform dominance (iPod + iTMS) and extend it with other devices, eventually all the content providers will have little choice but to deal with him. A risky strategy, to be sure, but it sounds good to me. When another company comes up with an integrated solution (hardware+software+service) that's even half as good as Apple's, I'll start to worry.

Maybe You're right. If Steve is getting the cold shoulder from other content
providers, maybe this his way of saying "kiss my butt".

 

[Bob Knob]

Okay, be nice. You're not arguing my point, are you? An org chart is one thing; day-to-day responsibilities are quite another. "In charge of theme parks" sounds to me like an administrative position, and one that Lasseter would never accept, IMHO. Wouldn't you agree?

(please see my reply at #75)

When Disney first got going the filmmakers were the Imagineers, and that is what made the whole thing work. Walt was the head of everything and his background was creative rather than business, but that was long ago... Disney is all corporate decisions now with little creativity and direction.
If you take away Walt's business responsibilities you wind up with the basic titles John was just named to. I have met John on several occasions and I think he is exactly what Disney needs, someone with vision. The part that intrigues me is that John answers directly to Iger, this gives me the impression that Disney is expecting John to really take the ax to a lot of deadwood and bring Disney back to what it once was.

(I'll take a break and let this thread be, I always hate it when someone repeatedly replies to a thread)

 

[balamw]

Wonder how much Dreamworks would have cost?

DWA's market cap is about $3B. I'm not sure Katzenberg would have wanted to come back to Disney, even without Eisner around.

MTV and VH1 allined themselves with microsoft and CBS is looking into its own distribution model.

You do realize these are all Viacom properties, right? Not surprising that they are all doing "something else" if that's the corporate strategy.

B

 

[d_and_n5000]

Maybe this will finaly be the end to those terrible Mickey Mouse PCs. You know, the ones where the monitors have big Red ears sticking out?

Yeah, that's true. Now they'll be Mickey Mouse iMacs. Picture a red iMac with big ears sticking out of the top of it!!!!!!

 

[joeboy_45101]

I think this is awful!

Jobs has said that he is not really interesed in the board appointment he is receiving. John Lasseter and the other creative geniuses at Pixar are walking into a trap, nobody at Disney ever appreciated the work done by Pixar. Hell, Eisner and the rest of his cronies took joy in the initial rumor that Finding Nemo was going to be a flop. Eisner may be gone, but he has had plenty of time to fill the company with his soulless minions. Pixar wil not change Disney, this is not the same as Apple buying NeXT.

This would be like Microsoft buying Apple.

 

[Malfoy]

I'm also not a fan of this. Steve might be the biggest shareholder at Disney, but he doesn't hold near enough shares to hold back disney's management who might want to get a hand in with some of Pixar's work. The quality of their work has already been on the decline(Toy Story 2 was the greatest movie of all time, end of story) and eventually this merger will accelerate that.

 

[GregA]

will this hurt apple's ability to get media from the other media companies? If the connection of steve is used to get an advantage with disney, it will earn apple a disadvantage with everybody else.

This is the biggest worry. Although, to be fair, there is no financial link between Apple and Disney is there? So in reality any deal will need to be on terms beneficial to both parties.

There are 2 effects though
1) Steve Job's reality distortion field may affect many Disney decisions. This could be interesting for their direction and connection to Apple. Perhaps Disney will risk a little more when stepping into future technologies?
2) The media and general feeling that Apple & Disney are connected could be very bad for Apple working with other media companies. Even if Apple actually offers Fox and ABC identical deals.

It's all in the presentation.

 

[Detlev]

Mr. Jobs is now the largest shareholder of Disney stock according to CNET.

 

[supergod]

I assume this means that there will be an integration between the technology of the two companies: Disney getting Pixar expertise and Pixar getting a much larger budget? Because then this could be very good for 3D and computer-animated 2D in general. Maybe Pixar can even get some more oscar clout and win the awards that their work has really been deserving of.

 

[Counterfit]

I hope there is a revival of 2D animation. Lasseter speaks very fondly of Miyazaki's work. For those of you that aren't familiar with him, he is a director of Japanese animated films. His films are fabulous, and Lasseter has introduced some of them on the English DVDs (which, incidentally, are released by Disney).

Any anime fan knows cel animation is FAR from dead.

 

[AidenShaw]

backwards....

....this is not the same as Apple buying NeXT.

You mean when NeXT bought Apple, of course?

 

[Analog Kid]

It isn't uncommon for CEOs to sit as board members on other companies. Mostly their job is to meet once a quarter to make sure the CEO hasn't totally screwed things up. They also provide guidance in certain business areas-- but not complete control.

This isn't a takeover of Apple by Disney or vice versa, any more than Langhammer's appointment meant a takeover by Estée Lauder. Mostly I think they wanted the guy in charge of the animation company they bought to be around to look after things in the animation business.

Apple's Board
Disney's Board

More unusual was to have one man as CEO of two companies.

For Apple, I think this means they have a way of whispering in Disney's ear, but not much more. I think this may bias Disney towards using iTMS as a distribution channel. I don't think we're going to see an orgy of cross licensing.

Remember that there are a lot of other *huge* personalities on that board. Nobody is going to be awestruck that Steve Jobs is sitting next to them.

 

[Hyernel]

Here at Walt Disney World, Dell is constant presence....I'd say those days are almost over.

EPCOT will become the worlds largest Apple demo area!!

I love this!!

(p.s. Why do my posts tend to disappear?)

 

[Chundles]

You mean when NeXT bought Apple, of course?

You mean when NeXT "owned" Apple don't you? Apple may have bought NeXT but NeXT "owned" Apple in the deal.

 

[GodBless]

Wow! This means that Steve Jobs lost all 3 of his companies that he founded. Here are the details:

Lost Apple: Steve was fired with board of directors argument
Lost Next: Next was acquired by Apple
Lost Pixar: Pixar was acquired by Disney (today)

Yes he gained Apple back but imagine if he didn't .

I bet Steve Jobs is laughing too.

 

[pknz]

Hopefully this turns into great news for Apple.

 

[mcarnes]

Anyone have a link to the SJ interview on this? They had a little of it on the news but I want to see the whole thing.

 

[Mebsat]

It's all about the library, and the licensing

Disney has this annoying habit of bringing out old titles for six weeks and then taking them off the market.

Hurry, parents! Buy Cinderella...for a limited time.

Can anyone guess what's coming soon to an iTunes store near you?

Think different, think the whole backlog, with a Mickey Mac-mini to play it on.

Meanwhile Jobs is pre-positioning his troops for the palace coup. Lasseter will control all the film-making. Remember Avie Tevanian led the NeXT troops in till Jobs bumped Amelio.

Apple and Disney might be a little unwieldy as one company, but you can bet there's a whole lot of synergy coming down the pike.

 

[Mechcozmo]

I'm also not a fan of this. Steve might be the biggest shareholder at Disney, but he doesn't hold near enough shares to hold back disney's management who might want to get a hand in with some of Pixar's work. The quality of their work has already been on the decline(Toy Story 2 was the greatest movie of all time, end of story) and eventually this merger will accelerate that.

I agree that Pixar's latest movies weren't as good as their earlier ones, but they were still some of the greatest movies I've seen in years. That's a good thing.

Wow! This means that Steve Jobs lost all 3 of his companies that he founded. Here are the details:

Lost Apple: Steve was fired with board of directors argument
Lost Next: Next was acquired by Apple
Lost Pixar: Pixar was acquired by Disney (today)

Yes he gained Apple back but imagine if he didn't .

I bet Steve Jobs is laughing too.

I wouldn't say "lost" because Steve has done remarkably well. Apple and NeXT merged into one, and he emerged on top. Pixar and Disney merge and he is in a seat of power. He has some degree of control. Jobs is not one to let control go easily. I'm not ready to say that Pixar is a lost cause.

 

[DrNeroCF]

I really really really wish that Steve would slap Disney around and do to them what he did to Apple. I'm a huge fan of animation, Disney is one of the worst disappointments in recent history (though I can't say they're doing terrible as far as live action goes).

 

[Super Dave]

Shorted AAPL last Tuesday - my portfolio is happy as well.

If you're a short term investor. I'm not terribly worried about the last week of stock performance. AAPL always tubes right after a quarterly earnings report and comes back up in a few weeks. I'm in it for the long haul.

David