DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Disney CEO Bob Iger is moving to cement his legacy by undoing his biggest mistake
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-16 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Here's what may be behind the move as Bob Iger looks to solidify his legacy. Disney's head-turning decision to share three years' worth of earnings guidance is a fascinating strategic move — and may be part of a bigger play from legacy-minded CEO Bob Iger. The Mouse House pleased analysts this week with its quarterly earnings report, as operating income rose 23% while revenue advanced by 6%. AdvertisementBob-ing and weavingDisney's earnings report and presentation were littered with comparisons to two years ago, which seems deliberate — if subtle. Advertisement"I would guess Bob Iger is feeling the pressure to demonstrate that he has set the company back on the right track," Nollen said.

Persons: Bob Iger, Tim Nollen, Robert Fishman, Iger, Bob, Bob Chapek, —, Chapek, what's, Nollen, it's Organizations: Disney, ESPN, Macquarie, Business, MoffettNathanson

☆ Disney stock surges on streaming growth, guidance
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-14 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Disney | PixarDisney reported its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings Thursday, narrowly beating analyst estimates as streaming growth helped propel its entertainment segment. During Disney's fiscal 2025, the company expects high-single-digit adjusted earnings growth compared with the prior fiscal year. Disney anticipates double-digit percentage growth in operating income for its entertainment segment for fiscal 2025. Streaming stridesThe atmosphere at the Disney Bundle Celebrating National Streaming Day at The Row in Los Angeles on May 19, 2022. During the fiscal fourth quarter Disney's streaming entertainment ad revenue was up 14% due to Disney+, and executives expect it to be a driver of streaming revenue going forward.

Persons: —, Bob Iger, who's, they're, Hugh Johnston, Disney, Presley Ann, Walt Disney Organizations: Disney, Pixar Disney, Revenue, Warner Bros, Getty, Hulu, ESPN, Discovery, Netflix, Comcast, Paramount Global, " Media, U.S, Walt Locations: Los Angeles, India

☆ Disney's plans to future-proof its TV business could help kill the cable bundle even faster than expected
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Discovery to form sports streaming service Venu, which promised to offer access to tons of live sports at less than half the cost of traditional cable bundles. Unlike ESPN+, this service will have all of ESPN's content, including Monday Night Football games and shows like "First Take." Disney is doing everything it can to make sure it's not in the same boat — hence its investments in projects like Venu and ESPN Flagship. Despite that drawback, Nollen is optimistic about ESPN Flagship. If ESPN Flagship hits those milestones, it can fully offset the losses from pay TV, which it will — ironically — be partially responsible for.

Persons: —, Venu, Tim Nollen, Nollen, Fubo, Venu Sports, Craig Moffett, Michael Nathanson, MoffettNathanson, Margaret Garnett, Garnett, It's, Peacock Organizations: Service, Disney, Media, Business, Netflix, Fox, Warner Bros, ESPN, Football, US, DirecTV, ESPN Flagship, Paramount, NBC, CBS Locations: skinnier

☆ Disney Has a Problem: Kids Are Watching YouTube Instead of Disney+
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-15 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Kids increasingly prefer to zone out for hours watching free short-form videos instead of full-length TV episodes and movies. In April, Nielsen estimated, kids 2 to 11 watched three times as much YouTube as Disney+ content. Kids watching Disney clips on YouTube may have no need for Disney+. 5 spot for kids' entertainment on YouTube in 2023, according to Tubular, a social video analytics company. Kids preferring short-form videos on YouTube over full-length episodes and movies is a problem that Disney doesn't seem to be able to solve.

Persons: Bob Iger, Bob Chapek's, Iger, Taylor Swift, Nelson Peltz, Disney, Alexia Raven, it's, Gen Alpha, —, Liz Huszarik, Nick Macknight, King, Aladdin, Justin Timberlake, Zendaya, Ariel, Bernstein, Discovery's Max, Florida's Gov, Ron DeSantis, Macknight, Lucia Moses Organizations: Disney, Epic Games, Investors, Disney Channel, Nielsen, YouTube, Warner Bros, Discovery, Media, Comcast, Paramount, Google, Netflix, Moonbug Entertainment, Disney's, Hulu, Marvel, Lucasfilm, Florida's, Pixar, Dallas, Business Locations: WarnerMedia, Dallas

☆ Sports bettors may be getting bored with ESPN Bet, just 6 months after its head-turning rebrand from Barstool Sportsbook
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Sports bettors flocked to ESPN Bet after its mid-November launch. Taking 10% to 20% market share by 2027 no longer seemed like such a stretch — even in a crowded, competitive space. ESPN Bet's share of the online sports betting market has dipped in recent months. The gamble may be riskier than analysts thought, and it will be an outright disaster if ESPN Bet doesn't perform better than Barstool Sportsbook. Related storiesIn the first quarter, Penn's interactive segment headlined by ESPN Bet lost nearly $200 million on an adjusted basis.

Persons: —, Sports bettors, Penn, ESPN Bet doesn't, Shaun Kelley, hasn't, Kelley, BofA, ESPN Bet wouldn't, Bob Iger —, what's, Jay Snowden, We're, Snowden, That's, It's, that's Organizations: Service, ESPN, Penn Entertainment, Sports, ESPN Bet, Business, Bank of America, ESPN Bet's, Penn, Disney

☆ Meet the Disney heirs rallying behind Bob Iger
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Roy O. Disney's grandchildrenRoy O. Disney had one son with his wife Edna Francis — Roy E. Disney, a long time Walt Disney Company executive. Roy P. DisneyRoy P. Disney told NYT that activist investors "must be defeated." AdvertisementIn a 2010 interview, Roy P. Disney said he worked as an investor based in California. Joe Scarnici/Stringer/Getty ImagesWalter Elias Disney MillerWalter Miller is the co-founder of the Walt Disney Family Museum, which opened its doors in 2009. Tamara Diane MillerTamara Miller spent four years as the President of the board of directors of the Walt Disney Family Museum.

Persons: —, Roy, Walt Disney, Bob Iger, Nelson Peltz, Walt, Roy O, Disney, Edna Francis — Roy E, Roy E, Patricia Ann Dailey, Roy P, Disney Roy, George Pimentel, WireImage, Disney's, hasn't, Abigail Disney Abigail Disney, Ralph Orlowski, Burda Media Abigail Disney, she's, Abigail, Susan Disney, Susan Lord, Phillip Faraone, Tim Disney Tim Disney, Stefanie Keenan, Tim Disney, Diane Disney Miller, Sharon Disney, Diane Miller's, Ron Miller, Jennifer Goff, Tammy Miller, Joanna Miller, Walter Miller, Joe Scarnici, Stringer, Walter Elias Disney Miller Walter Miller, Joanna Sharon Miller Joanna Miller, grandpa, Joanna, Jim, Tamara Diane Miller Tamara Miller, Tamara Miller, Jennifer Miller, Goff Jennifer Miller, Goff Organizations: Service, Disney, Business, Walt Disney Company, Getty, New York Times, Burda Media, Yale, Stanford, Mouse, Bel, Harvard University, California Institute of, Arts, Walt Disney Productions, Walt Disney Family Museum, Jim Hill Media, Walt Disney Family Locations: California, Munich, Germany, Columbia, Los Angeles

☆ Netflix has a stranglehold on its competition, but the streaming wars aren't over. Here's how Disney and Amazon could dethrone the dominant streamer.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

"Netflix won the streaming wars in 2009 when they started streaming," said Tim Nollen, a media analyst at Macquarie. "I think it's a little bit ridiculous, to be honest," Bazinet said when asked if Netflix has won the streaming wars. AdvertisementHow Hollywood can beat Netflix at its own gameHollywood stalwarts can compete in streaming, Bazinet argued — provided the media industry first consolidates even further. The two biggest threats right now are Disney — which has about 220 million subscribers across Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ — and Amazon. Nollen said Amazon would flood the market with cheap ads and crush its competition like it did in e-commerce.

Persons: —, That's, Jason Bazinet, Tim Nollen, They've, Bazinet, overreacted, Jessica Reif Ehrlich, Reif Ehrlich, Nielsen Bazinet, Joe Bonner, Bonner, John Hodulik, Hodulik, I'm, Macquarie's, Nollen, it's Organizations: Service, Netflix, Business, Citigroup, Disney, Paramount, Macquarie, Hollywood, Bank of America, Nielsen, ESPN, Argus Research, Hulu, UBS, Amazon Locations: Hulu

☆ Coco Jones may seem like a splashy newcomer, but she's having déjà vu
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Callie Ahlgrim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Anyone who watched the Disney Channel in the early 2010s will recognize Jones' onscreen magnetism and precocious vocal skill. AdvertisementBut while many of Jones' cohorts have emphatically shed the mouse ears, Jones has taken the path of radical acceptance. "One thing about 'Let It Shine,' it's going to follow me until the wheels fall off," Jones said. Advertisement"ICU" was released as the second single from "What I Didn't Tell You," the first EP Jones released through a major label. "What I Didn't Tell You" is the product of studious passion; Jones honors the R&B tradition without relying on imitation.

Persons: —, Coco Jones, it's, Jones, Chloe, Halle Bailey, Kelsey, Charlie, Tyler James Williams, Abbott, Hilary Banks, Bel, Will Smith, Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, " Jones, Lea Mende Jones, I'm, Warner Chappell, Simone Biles, Lea Mende, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, CeCe Winans, Taylor Swift, Timberlake, Babyface, Reneé Rapp, She's, Rapp Organizations: Service, Disney Channel, Disney, Business, Hollywood Records, Facebook, colorism, Bel, Def Jam, Warner, Warner Chappell Music, BET, HBO, College Girls, MTV

☆ How Disney made Star Wars the top film franchise of 2023 without a theatrical release
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-30 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Sunset Boulevard | Corbis Historical | Getty ImagesThe Force remains strong with the Star Wars franchise. Despite not releasing a theatrical film since 2019, Star Wars has been named the top film franchise of 2023 by Fandom, the world's largest platform for entertainment fans. In between each film in the sequel trilogy, Disney released a film that harkened back to an important plot point from past Star Wars films. "At the time, Disney's strategy was to essentially release one new Star Wars film theatrically each year," said Peter Csathy, founder and chair of advisory firm Creative Media. Rebuilding an empireDisney isn't set to release another Star Wars film in cinemas until 2026.

Persons: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Georges Lucas, Paul Dergarabedian, Star Wars Disney Harry Potter, James Bond, Disney, Harry Potter, Kylo Ren, Emperor Palpatine, Darth Vader, —, Princess Leia, Han, Peter Csathy, Csathy, Boba Fett, Rosario Dawson, Tano, Ahsoka, Count Dooku, Stephanie Fried, Diego Luna, Cassian Andor, Alan Tudyk Organizations: Star Wars, Star, Disney, Comscore, Star Wars Disney, Marvel, Warner Bros, DC Studios, Lucasfilm, Wars, Creative Media, Lucasfilm Disney Locations: Florida

☆ Inside Disney interviews: 6 staffers reveal the most important question recruiters ask, hiring process hurdles, and secrets for standing out
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

According to one Disney employee hired during the pandemic, managers may tell recruiters the particulars they're seeking in candidates. For candidates looking to work in Disney's entertainment division, a question Green and other experts mentioned is: What are you watching on television and streaming right now? A third current employee, a creative assistant in Disney's entertainment division, recalled being tested on their competency in assessing creative work, namely doing script coverage. Curiosity counts — about the role, the company, the industryExperts encouraged candidates to be curious and raise their own questions with recruiters. The first employee recommended that candidates ask questions that enable recruiters to flex their own Disney spirit.

Persons: Lauren, Orlando, she's, Bob Iger, Dan Green, Green, —, hasn't, they've, Disney, Disney —, Ben White —, who's, We've Organizations: Walt Disney, Disney's College, Business, College Program, ESPN, Disney, Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz, Disney College Program, Adobe, Hulu, YouTube, Hollywood Locations: Disney's, Java, pseudocode

☆ Disney Wears Its New Look Well
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Dan Gallagher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The launch event for the second season of the Disney+ series ‘Loki,’ at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. That will likely make life a little harder for those trying to break into the Mouse House. The entertainment giant’s fiscal fourth-quarter results late Wednesday generally came in ahead of Wall Street’s expectations, especially in key areas such as streaming subscribers, theme park revenue and operating income. All soundly beat Wall Street’s targets—especially the 6.9 million net new subscribers added to the core Disney+ service during the September quarter, which was more than double the number analysts expected. Disney’s shares rose more than 3% in after-hours trading following the results.

Persons: ’ Organizations: Disney, El Capitan Theatre Locations: Hollywood

☆ Bob Iger's return as Disney's CEO once sparked hope inside the company. Now, insiders are anxious and losing faith.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Lucia Moses | Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

"There was a lot of excitement and hope at the return of Bob Iger a year ago," a current Disney staffer told Insider. Uncertainty about the company's future and about who's deciding what on the creative side has left execs in a state of inertia, according to an entertainment lawyer with knowledge of Disney's business. The declining linear TV business culminated in a standoff with Charter Communications over terms for a new contract for carrying Disney's cable channels. And Disney's streaming business, which was supposed to make up for the decline in cable revenues, has lost $11 billion since Disney+ launched in 2019. Churn is a top concern in Disney streaming, some employees said.

Persons: Goofy, what's, Bob Iger, Bob Chapek, He's, confidants, Zenia Mucha, Alan Braverman, Alan Horn, Jayne Parker, Christine McCarthy —, Mickey, Ariel, grumbled, Iger's, It's, he's, Iger, Paul Verna, Chapek, Bob, it's, Ron DeSantis —, Iger —, Nelson Peltz, he'd, hasn't, Verna, Disney, Ike Perlmutter, Peltz, Perlmutter, Ike, Disney's, Paul Singer, Kevin Mayer, Tom Staggs, Puck, Stagg's Blackstone, Intelligence's Verna Organizations: Walt Disney Co, Disney, ABC, Hollywood, CNBC, Writers Guild of America, Wall, Insider Intelligence, Marvel, Lucasfilm, Century Fox, Google, Facebook, Netflix, Communications, Florida Gov, Hulu, ESPN Iger, FX, Geographic, ESPN, Apple, Electronic, Elliott Investment Management, Bloomberg, Mayer Locations: Burbank, Hollywood, Florida's, Iger

☆ The NBA is shooting for a new media rights deal worth up to $60 billion, nearly triple its previous pact, that will pay teams and players millions more
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( James Faris | Margaret Fleming | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Media analysts widely expect the league to select at least three distributors for its next media rights deal after the current setup expires in 2025. Comcast's NBCUniversal could be a frontrunner for a spot in the NBA's new media deal alongside Amazon, Nispel said. NBA players could be poised to earn sky-high paydaysThe NBA's last media deal — the $24 billion contract it struck in 2014 — was nearly triple the value of its previous pact. The pressure is now on the NBA to deliver a media deal that satisfies teams, athletes, and fans. Still, Macquarie media analyst Tim Nollen is optimistic about the size of the NBA's next media rights deal.

Persons: Jessica Reif Ehrlich, disruptors, Brandon Nispel, Nispel, —, Shirin Malkani, who's, Perkins, Leron Rogers, that's, Mark Patricof, Tim Nollen, Nollen, Reif Ehrlich, Ehrlich Organizations: NBA, Media, ESPN, Warner Bros, TNT, Disney, Apple, NBC, Comcast, Wall Street, Bank of America, NFL, MLB, NHL, KeyBanc Capital, Amazon, Flagship, ABC, Prime, Industry, Patricof, Macquarie, Diamond Sports

The Wall Street Journal was first to report Peltz's push for board seats. Disney had rejected Peltz as a possible board member. Disney has undergone a period of transformation, restructuring the company and streamlining operations to make the business more cost effective. In addition, Disney is laying plans to make its flagship ESPN sports network available via streaming at some point in the future. Facing trouble last year, Disney's board brought Iger out of retirement in November for a second turn at running the company.

Persons: Mario Anzuoni, Nelson Peltz, Mickey Mouse, Peltz's, Trian, Bob Iger, Peltz, Iger, Disney, Disney's, Ed Garden, Matthew, Josh Frank, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Krishna Chandra Eluri, Savio D'Souza, Tomasz Janowski, Leslie Adler Organizations: Walt Disney Studios, Writers Guild of America, REUTERS, Walt Disney, Peltz's Trian Fund Management, Disney, Peltz, ESPN, Svea, Thomson Locations: Burbank , California, U.S, Disney, New York, Rhode Island, Bengaluru

☆ Once upon a time, the 'Disney adult' was ridiculed. Now, kidless millennials and Gen Z-ers with money to burn are packing into the parks — here's how Disney is winning them over.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +22 min

Newlyweds Natalie and Brett Schwartz exchanged vows at Walt Disney World in Orlando this summer. "Our approach was to shine a light on the beautiful tapestry of people that come to Walt Disney World," Trejo said. Francis Dominic, the former parks worker turned influencer, has also been tapped to promote Disney parks and films. It's a difficult tightrope to navigate, but it could define the future of Disney parks. Are you a Disney parks or Walt Disney Co. insider?

Persons: Sarah Rachul, I'm, Rachul, Orlando —, —, Molly May, Francis Dominic, Dominic, who's, Taylor, Ron DeSantis —, Japan pavilion's Takumi, Jonathan de Araujo, it's, Tara Goldstein, Ann van Oostendorp, Disney, Van Oostendorp, Natalie Schwartz, Brett, Schwartz, Sierra Keller's, Keller, Natalie, Brett Schwartz, Jason Petrina, he's, Disney's, He's, They're, Petrina, Mickey, Chris Evans, Zoe Saldaña, What's, Wan Kenobi, Emperor Palpatine, she'd, welling, haven't, Neph Trejo, Walt, " Trejo, It's, Halle Bailey, Kent Phillips, Gaston, Jeremy Singh, I'd, Singh couldn't, he'd, Singh, they're, Patrick Dougall, Mark Eades, Eades, we've, Amanda Krause, Reed Alexander Organizations: Walt Disney, Epcot, Disney Vacation, Disney, Mouse, Disneyland, Disney Parks, Walt Disney Co, Florida Gov, Universal, Guardians, Galaxy, University of Tampa, Disney World, Honeymooners, Star Wars, Marvel, Magic, Cafe Orleans, Disney World's Hollywood Studios, Hollywood Studios, Star, Gucci, Dooney, Animal, Dole, Walt Disney World's, ABC, Getty, Management, Disney Imagineer, Disneyland Alumni Locations: Ohio, Disney, Orlando , Florida, Anaheim , California, Italy, China, Tuscany, Orlando, Florida, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo, Japan, Epcot, California, Anaheim, Belle Terrace, Hollywood

☆ Comcast, Disney move up deadline to decide Hulu future ownership
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The timeline to decide Hulu's ownership fate has been moved up, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said Wednesday. Comcast and Disney are set to begin those discussions on September 30, months earlier than the initial January 2024 deadline. Under the original 2019 agreement, Comcast can force Disney to buy (or Disney can require Comcast to sell) that remaining 33% stake in January 2024, at a guaranteed minimum total equity value of $27.5 billion. In May, Roberts said at an investor conference that Comcast would likely sell its 33% stake in Hulu to Disney at the beginning of next year. For Disney, the move to add Hulu content to Disney+ came as it focuses on its ad-supported Disney+ option to attract more subscribers and advertising revenue.

Persons: Brian Roberts, Roberts, Goldman Sachs, we've, Disney didn't, Bob Iger, Comcast's NBCUniversal, Iger Organizations: Comcast, Disney, Technology, Hulu, Netflix, ESPN, CNBC Locations: Hulu, U.S

☆ How much is Hulu worth? As Disney gears up to buy Comcast's share of the streamer, analysts say Bob Iger may have to pay a hefty price.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

When it comes to Hulu, value is in the eye of the holder. However, Comcast claims Hulu is worth double what Disney is saying, according to Bloomberg — even in a tough media environment. "It's what would a willing buyer in a robust auction pay," Roberts said of Hulu's valuation at a MoffettNathanson conference in May. Another way to value Hulu is by comparing its EV-to-subscriber ratio with that of Netflix. By buying all of Hulu, Disney can position itself for the next big trend in media, Noell said.

Persons: Bob Iger, Bloomberg —, Peacock, Brian Roberts, Roberts, financials, maven, Hulu, Tim Nollen, Netflix's, Nollen, Iger, Matthew Thornton, who's bullish, Barton Crockett, Crockett, Brandon Nispel, Nispel, Jason Bazinet, Bazinet, Davis Noell, Noell Organizations: Disney, Comcast, Hulu, Bloomberg, Wall Street, Macquarie, Netflix, Rosenblatt Securities, Citigroup, Star Wars, Marvel, Providence Equity Partners Locations: Hulu

☆ How ESPN's $2 billion deal with Penn Entertainment could shake up sports betting, from reinvigorating competition to evolving media's relationship with gambling
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Ashley Rodriguez | Margaret Fleming | Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Many view the deal as a "win-win" for ESPN, Penn, and its former partner Barstool Sports. Industry insiders say the deal could signal a potential ESPN spinoff, disrupt competition, and more. Here's what industry insiders are saying about the deal:1. FanDuel and DraftKings dominate US online sports-betting and gambling market share, followed by BetMGM, according to a July report from Macquarie that analyzed Vixio data. Industry insiders like affiliate-marketing company Gambling.com Group's Max Bichsel aren't sure about that prediction.

Persons: Barstool, Bob Iger, Penn, sportsbooks, who's, Chris Grove, Dave Portnoy, Portnoy, Fox's, Sharp, Sharp Alpha Advisor's Lloyd Danzig, Dan, Danzig, Brandon Nispel, he's, Nispel, Kimberly White, FanDuel, BetMGM, Zachary, Max Bichsel aren't, Bichsel, I'm, Grove, It's, DraftKings, let's, FuboTV, hasn't, Fox Bet, Ed Moed, Fox, Dan Wasiolek, Wasiolek Organizations: ESPN, Penn Entertainment, Penn, Barstool Sports . Industry, ESPN Bet, Investors, Acies Investments, Barstool Sports, Sharp Alpha, Disney, KeyBanc, CFRA Research, . Industry, ESPN —, Fox, Maxim Magazine, Sports, Fox Bet, Morningstar Locations: Macquarie, Canada

☆ The great streaming giveaway is over
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Matt Turner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The hike marks another nail in the coffin of the great streaming giveaway. Disney loses money in streaming offering that great deal. Disney reported smaller than expected losses in streaming last quarter, and has committed to getting the streaming business to profitability by 2024. It's going to do that by exercising pricing power and by scaling up its ad-supported streaming tier. The sweet streaming deal is over.

Persons: Bob Iger, There's, That's, It's Organizations: Disney, Morning, Netflix, Spotify, ESPN Locations: Hulu, Hollywood

☆ Disney's big sports-betting deal has industry insiders abuzz about possibilities, from a potential ESPN spinoff to heightened competition
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Ashley Rodriguez | Margaret Fleming | Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Many view the deal as a "win-win" for ESPN, Penn, and its former partner Barstool Sports. Industry insiders say the deal could signal a potential ESPN spinoff, disrupt competition, and more. Gambling industry insiders thought Disney CEO Bob Iger might make quick work of setting a sports-betting strategy when he took back the reins of the ESPN owner late last year. Here's what industry insiders are saying about the deal:1. Industry insiders like affiliate marketing company Gambling.com's Max Bichsel aren't sure about that prediction.

Persons: Barstool, Bob Iger, Penn, sportsbooks, who's, Chris Grove, Dave Portnoy, Portnoy, Fox's, Sharp, Sharp Alpha Advisor's Lloyd Danzig, Dan, Danzig, Brandon Nispel, he's, Nispel, Kimberly White, FanDuel, BetMGM, Zachary, Gambling.com's Max Bichsel aren't, Bichsel, I'm, Grove, It's, DraftKings, let's, FuboTV, hasn't, Fox Bet, Ed Moed, Fox, Dan Wasiolek, Wasiolek Organizations: ESPN, Penn Entertainment, Penn, Barstool Sports . Industry, ESPN Bet, Investors, Acies Investments, Barstool Sports, Sharp Alpha, Disney, KeyBanc, CFRA Research, . Industry, ESPN —, Fox, Maxim Magazine, Sports, Fox Bet, Morningstar Locations: Macquarie, Canada

☆ The new 'tone deaf' Bob Iger might just be focused on a Disney and Apple M&A
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Peter Csathy | Fearless Media | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Fearless Media is a newsletter about the future of entertainment, media, and tech by Creative Media chairman Peter Csathy . Disney CEO Bob Iger's comments regarding the strikers may hint at his deeper M&A state of mind. For the past decades, Disney CEO Bob Iger has been perhaps the most revered media and entertainment titan, beloved by both employees and Wall Street — a rare feat and balancing act to be sure. SAG President Fran Drescher joined voices across entertainment in calling Iger's comments "tone deaf" and rich for someone who reportedly makes more than 500 times the median salary of Disney employees. Peter Csathy is the founder and chairman of Creativie Media and an internationally recognized media, entertainment, and tech expert.

Persons: Peter Csathy, Bob Iger's, Iger, Bob Iger, —, Fran Drescher, Iger's, Sun, Tim Cook —, Steve Jobs, Rupert Murdoch, Palminteri, Keyser, doesn't bode, Read Organizations: Creative Media, Disney, Morning, Fearless Media, SAG, Mouse House, Marvel, Pixar, Apple, Wall, Fox Television, Wall Street, Hollywood, Creativie Media Locations: Sun Valley, Nice

☆ The media industry is in turmoil, and that's not changing anytime soon
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

All of this turmoil will be on investors' minds as the media industry kicks off its earnings season this week, with Netflix up first on Wednesday. Netflix, with a new advertising model and push to stop password sharing, looks the best positioned compared with legacy media giants. At the top of the list is contending with Disney's TV networks, as that part of the business appears to be in a worse state than Iger had imagined. The labor fight blew up just as the industry has moved away from streaming growth at all costs. Last week's ruling from a federal judge that Microsoft's $68.7 billion acquisition of game publisher Activision Blizzard should move forward serves as a rare piece of good news for the media industry.

Persons: Mike Blake, Bob Iger, Iger, Bob Iger's, Michael Nathanson, SVB, CNBC's David Faber, Nathanson, Producers –, Mark Boidman, Ross Benes, Benes, Comcast's NBCUniversal, Solomon, Boidman, Random, Paramount's Simon, Schuster, Tegna, Jason Anderson, Peter Liguori, Anderson, HBO Max, Homer, Marge Getty Organizations: Guild of America, Netflix, Alliance, Producers, Reuters, Disney, Disney's, Paramount Global, Comcast, Warner Bros, American Federation of Television, Radio Artists, Media, Solomon Partners, CNBC, Hollywood, Intelligence, ABC, Paramount, BET, NBC Sports, USA, Discovery, Activision, Federal Trade Commission, dealmaking, Microsoft, Tribune Media, Max, HBO, Amazon, MGM, Sky, Fox Corp, FOX Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, MoffettNathanson, Hulu

☆ What's next for BlackRock?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The biggest, and most obvious, change comes at the top, as BlackRock considers life without Larry Fink. The departure of Fink from BlackRock — a firm he's led since founding it with Robert Kapito in 1988 — is monumental in and of itself. But consider the state of affairs:Simply put, there's a lot going on these days at BlackRock. Insider's Rebecca Ungarino, our resident BlackRock expert, has a rundown of all the latest news at the massive money manager. More on everything that's happening at BlackRock as its CEO and cofounder considers his future.

Persons: Dan DeFrancesco, we've, Leonardo Munoz, don't, Larry Fink, Fink, Robert Kapito, Insider's Rebecca Ungarino, Todd Anderson, Christine McCarthy, Bob Iger, Iger, Gen, Jeffrey Cane, Hallam Bullock Organizations: Disney, Netflix, BlackRock, Getty, Barclays, Goldman, Mouse, Apple's, McKinsey, LinkedIn Locations: VIEWpress, BlackRock —, BlackRock, Hulu, London, New York

☆ Disney has a math problem as it strives to compete with Netflix, Wall Street analysts warn. Here's why Bob Iger is destined to make a $9 billion bet on Hulu anyway.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Disney CEO Bob Iger must decide whether to acquire all of Hulu and fold it into Disney+. By buying all of Hulu, Disney could integrate its content into Disney+, which would make the flagship Disney streamer a formidable challenger to Netflix. "You look at the Disney+ bundle with Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+, and it's a pretty powerful combination," Nispel told Insider. Currently, the ad versions of Hulu and Disney+ each cost $8 per month while ad-free Hulu and Disney+ cost $15 and $11, respectively. The consensus among analysts about Disney's Hulu dilemma was neatly summarized by Barton Crockett of Rosenblatt Securities, whose price target implies 26% upside for Disney.

Persons: Bob Iger, Iger, that's, Joe Bonner, Brandon Nispel, Nispel, Disney's, Wells, Steven Cahall, Cahall, Hulu, Michael Morris, He's, Morris, Disney, Will Iger, Barton Crockett, Crockett Organizations: Disney, Hulu, Comcast, Netflix, Wall, Argus Research, KeyBanc, ESPN, TAM, Rosenblatt Securities Locations: Hulu

☆ Disney's parks division is driving big profits, a bright spot as the streaming biz struggles and ESPN's future is unclear. Here's how that could factor into Bob Iger's CEO succession plans.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Disney CEO Bob Iger has reorganized the company into 3 core units: entertainment, ESPN, and parks. Parks' growing prominence comes as the company faces looming decisions over Iger's CEO. Travel bans "dramatically impacted" results for Disney Parks during the intense early years of the coronavirus pandemic, Heger noted, adding that parks are now generating more revenue and operating profit than they did in pre-COVID times. The parks' success is "helping to offset" losses from Disney's "DTC," or direct-to-consumer streaming business, Heger added. Josh D'Amaro, the current chairman for Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products, would be a likely figure appearing on any shortlist of CEO contenders.

Persons: Bob Iger, Parks, It's, Dave Heger, Edward Jones, Heger, AECOM, Iger, Josh D'Amaro, Christine McCarthy —, Iger's, Bob Chapek, Ron DeSantis, Chapek, Hollywood creatives, Tom Staggs, Iger —, —, Chapek's, it's, you've, Jeffery Merola, he'd, DeSantis, Reed Alexander Organizations: Disney, ESPN, Disney Parks, Walt Disney, Disneyland, Products, Florida Gov, Hollywood, Los Angeles Times, Sunshine State Locations: Tokyo, Shanghai, Orlando , Florida, Anaheim , California, execs, Chapek, Syracuse , New York, Orlando

Search resuls for: "Mouse House"

25 mentions found