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| MickeyXtreme's News Archive February 4-10 2007 | ||
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Saturday February 10, 2007 |
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'Toy Story 3' Coming Along, without Lasseter Others' options may have paid off for Jobs Tinker Bell Is The New Disney Money Train Utah hopes to lure Disney's third 'High School Musical' movie Fundraiser helps send troops to Disney World |
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'Toy Story 3' Coming Along, without Lasseter Toon Zone - Toy Story 3 is coming in 2009, but John Lasseter won't be the director, according to a Daily Variety report. Lasseter and Disney Animation president Ed Catmull provided extensive details on their upcoming slate in a Walt Disney Feature Animation presentation at Disney's investor conference Thursday. In addition to confirming for the first time that a third Toy Story is in the works, most likely for 2009 release, Lasseter said Lee Unkrich will helm it with Michael Arndt, Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Little Miss Sunshine, handling the script. Unkrich co-directed Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc. and Finding Nemo but has never before been chief director on a Pixar film. Lasseter directed the first two Toy Story pictures but is presumably too busy in his new post as chief creative officer of Disney Animation to work on individual films. Lasseter said, "The greatest thing about the merger of the two companies is that the creators of Toy Story '1' and '2' can make '3' with the story that we wanted." Lasseter also revealed a behind-the-scenes shift at Walt Disney Feature Animation - which is separate from Pixar but also under the control of Lasseter and Catmull - by announcing that Chris Williams, a veteran Disney story artist, is now directing the 2008 release American Dog in place of Lilo & Stitch director Chris Sanders, who recently left Disney. Catmull denied speculation that Walt Disney Feature Animation may become a 2-D-only studio, with Pixar handling CGI, though he did confirm Disney will bring back hand-drawn films. "We're really excited about that and have brought back some great directors to work on that," he said, presumably referring to The Frog Princess, a 2-D pic being developed by Aladdin and Treasure Planet directors Ron Clements and John Musker, whom Lasseter brought back to Disney last year. 'Princess' is believed to be on the fast track and may be the division's next release after American Dog. Catmull admitted there were problems at Disney Feature Animation when he and Lasseter took over. "At Disney we have these remarkable artists who were there, but in all candor (they) were not kneaded together in the right way," he stated. "The whole wasn't greater than the sum of its parts, but there were some great parts there." He said that he and Lasseter are trying to make Disney Feature Animation's pics more director-driven, as at Pixar, and that members of the two units are giving each other notes and sharing technology. He didn't mention the December layoff of 160 animators, about 20% of the WDFA staff. |
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Others' options may have paid off for Jobs Los Angeles Times - If backdating inflated Pixar's profit, Disney might have overpaid in its $7.4-billion purchase of the studio, benefiting its biggest shareholder. Could Steve Jobs have benefited from
backdating of stock options without actually receiving
the securities in question? |
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Tinker Bell Is The New Disney Money Train
Cinema Blend - In an announcement sure to send shudders
through parents everywhere, Disney has informed us (by
"us," I mean society in general) that they have a new
direct-to-DVD cash cow in the offing. Buena Vista Home
Entertainment is planning to release, Tinker Bell, a
CG-animated feature in 2008 starring everyone's favorite
psychotically jealous fairy sidekick. The DisneyToon
Studio production will feature Brittany Murphy, the star
of such family-friendly movies as Sin City and 8 Mile.
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Utah hopes to lure Disney's third 'High School Musical'
movie The Salt Lake Tribune - "High School Musical" will soon become a major high-school motion picture. Walt Disney Studios announced Thursday that the big tween franchise that started in Utah with the hit Disney Channel TV movie "High School Musical" will be dancing its way to the big screen for the third movie in the series. The new sequel, dubbed "Haunted High School Musical," will hit theaters sometime in 2008, according to Disney. The announcement comes as the Disney crew is prepping to film "High School Musical 2" in St. George and Salt Lake City next month. The Utah Film Commission has been talking with Disney about shooting the third movie in Utah. "We've spoken to them about it, but they haven't made any decisions," said commission director Aaron Syrett. "We want to do our best to keep the franchise in Utah." Disney is negotiating to sign the movie's main actors, including Zac Efron as Troy and Vanessa Anne Hudgens as Gabriella, for the new film. It's unknown whether the director of the first two movies, Kenny Ortega (who also directed the Opening Ceremony for the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City), will direct the third film. " 'High School Musical' exploded off the TV screen and into the lives of kids and families everywhere," Gary Marsh of Disney Channel Worldwide said in a statement. "It skyrocketed to heights never before achieved by a TV movie, so it's only fitting that its next incarnation should be as a major motion picture." After the original "High School Musical" debuted in January 2006, it quickly became the most-watched program in the Disney Channel's history. It has spawned a merchandising juggernaut, from books and a best-selling soundtrack CD to DVDs. A touring musical concert starred most of the movie's original cast (though it didn't stop in Utah), and licenses have been issued for theater productions of the movie's story. There's even a book being published that will divulge the "untold story" of the making of the movie. "High School Musical" was filmed entirely in Utah, with primary locations at East and Murray high schools. The second movie has generated such interest among fans, a recent promotion to give viewers a say on certain elements of the movie - like what dessert Zeke will bake for Sharpay - generated more than 21 million votes on Disney's Web site. Salty Pictures, the Salt Lake City-based production company that has filmed a string of Disney Channel movies in Utah, produced the original film and its sequel. No decision has been made on who will make the theatrical movie. |
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Fundraiser helps send troops to Disney World TCPalm - It took several months, but Tracy Price was starting to adjust to her husband, Rodney's, deployment to Iraq. Until Rodney's parents arrived at the Prices' house
in the middle of the night last October, with the news
he'd been badly wounded by mortar in Mosul. On Feb. 18, Saint Lucie Lanes in Port St. Lucie and Jupiter Lanes in Jupiter will be conducting a bowling fundraiser to help the Prices, and their three children Taylor Lintz, 17, Carley Lintz, 14 and Connor Price, 10, as well as two other families, pay for airfare to Disney World. All three families will be staying at the condo provided by Nebraska-based nonprofit Wounded Warriors, which owns two condos they let out for free for use by wounded soldiers and their families. The organization also provides tickets to the park. Spc. Rodney Price, 43, who re-enlisted in the Kansas National Guard after Sept. 11, 2001, is recovering from two major shrapnel wounds to his legs as well as abdominal surgery to take out shrapnel and has a piece of two-centimeter shrapnel in his heart. "From the moment we got together, I knew he was a patriot there's no doubt about that," Tracy Price, 43, said. The family vacation will be a first, Tracy Price said. Rhonda Elkamel, the marketing and promotions director for both alleys, said it was the kindness of Wounded Warriors founder Col. John Folsom, of the United States Marine Corps Reserves, that attracted them to the organization. "We wanted to do something to benefit our American soldiers," she said. "A lot of bigger charities, have it easier, they have celebrity backing or something. Not that they don't need the help, every bit of money helps, but he pays for the tickets himself. Everything comes out of his pocket. That shows me what kind of person he is." Folsom started collecting money in March 2003, by literally "passing a hat," to buy some things for wounded soldiers in hospitals, mostly computers, while he was stationed as a liaison officer in Europe. Soon, he got the idea to send soldiers to resorts, and got enough money to buy two condos, one in Orlando and one in Galveston, Texas. He sent his first family to Disney World in April 2006. Folsom doesn't fundraise, but people manage to find out about him. He's opened his mailbox to discover $10,000 checks. "I have literally been around the world, and I will tell you that there is no more of a generous people than the Americans," Folsom said. "They're the most generous people on the planet." |
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Friday February 9, 2007 |
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Disney employee faces child porn charges Disney Wish Lounge Opens Walt Disney Pictures' 'Tinker Bell' Coming in Fall 2008 From Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment Jobs signed Pixar contract with questionable option date Pixar options reportedly under probe Company Files Lien Against Cinderella's Castle Pierre & Vacances, EuroDisney to set up holiday JV Local man sues Disney for $50-million Disney Online Unveils Details for Pirates of the Caribbean Online ABC's Lost Viewership Off 15% From Last Year Think You're Not Watching Disney This Weekend? Kim Possible! The Walt Disney–Tishman African Art Collection Disney's California Food and Wine Weekends 2007 Disney considers specializing Walt Disney's passport featured in upcoming Heritage auction The Jonas Brothers Sign Record Deal With Disney's Hollywood Records |
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Disney employee faces child porn charges MyFox Tampa Bay - A Walt Disney World employee is in hot water after his roommate tipped police off to something he had been hiding. Matthew Wendland was hired at Disney in July. The 20-year-old dressed up in costumes, playing the role of the Beast and sometimes Goofy.
Wenland is charged with 51 counts of possessing child
porn. Investigators say a CD and photos were found in
a suitcase in his closet. Wendland is now suspended without pay from Disney
pending the outcome of the investigation. Disney
spokesperson Kim Prunty says characters like the ones he
performed as always have attendants with them. She says he was never alone around kids, and he, like
all of their employees, had a background check done. In a statement, Prunty said that "all employees receive a thorough background check prior to employment. It's a standard procedure, part of the employment process. Nothing is more important than the safety of our guests," the statement said. Police say Wenland has no criminal record. |
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Disney Wish Lounge
Opens WDW News - Adding a new chapter to our long-standing history of wish-granting, the Disney Wish Lounge opened recently in the Magic Kingdom Park. The Disney Wish Lounge, which was designed by Walt Disney Imagineering, is a place created for Disney Wish Program Guests to rest and enjoy light refreshments and Guest Services without having to leave the park or return to their hotel. The Disney Wish Lounge is decorated in the theme of Main Street, U.S.A. with references to Genie - the wish-granting character. In addition, it will include stained glass artwork featuring Genie. Along with enjoying refreshments and the comfortable décor of the Wish Lounge, Guests of Disney's Wish Program may receive vacation planning assistance. "It is such a privilege to offer the Disney Wish Lounge here in the Magic Kingdom," said Phil Holmes, vice president of Magic Kingdom Operations. "It will be a great place for these special families to relax and plan the next stop on their Walt Disney World adventure." |
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Walt Disney Pictures' 'Tinker Bell' Coming in Fall 2008
From Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment PRNewswire - Walt Disney Pictures' all new CG-animated feature "Tinker Bell" will arrive worldwide in Fall 2008 from Disney's Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment it was announced today by Bob Chapek, president of BVWHE. "Tinker Bell," produced by DisneyToon Studios, will be the first time audiences hear Tinker Bell speak, as the movie brings to life the amazing world of Disney Fairies, The Walt Disney Company's newest franchise, in all-new CG-animation with Brittany Murphy as the voice of the spunky and sassy fairy. In the tradition of its many animated classics, Disney will bring to life an enchanting tale of Pixie Hollow and Tink's new fairy friends voiced by some of Hollywood's most talented actors. "'Tinker Bell' represents an incredible franchise opportunity in the home entertainment category," said Chapek. "Audiences will get to know Tinker Bell like never before, and will fall in love with her all over again." Disney Fairies builds upon the enormous popularity of Tinker Bell and introduces children to her secret, magical world and a new circle of enchanting fairy friends -- each with an incredibly diverse talent, personality and look. Disney Consumer Products introduced Disney Fairies in 2005 with the release of New York Times best-seller, "Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg," from Disney Publishing Worldwide, followed by an apparel line, toys, a global magazine launch and a series of award-wining chapter books in 2006. "Tinker Bell has been recognized as an icon by fans of all ages for many years -- her merchandise sales to date have proven this despite the lack of new content," said Andy Mooney, chairman of Disney Consumer Products. "This new film will bring to life Tinker Bell's spectacular world and will offer incremental opportunities across the company to grow the Disney Fairies franchise significantly." Disney Fairies represents an expanded definition of synergy at The Walt Disney Company. As part of its ongoing commitment to drive the franchise companywide, Tinker Bell will be supported with a strong marketing campaign and a broad licensed merchandise program at major retailers around the world through an expanded Disney Fairies line from Disney Consumer Products. The new line will launch into new categories such as role play, youth electronics, stationery, home decor, and personal care. The iconic Tinker Bell character, together with the Tinker Bell film and Disney Fairies product line, will provide a multitude of new experiences for families to enjoy and treasure for many years to come. About Disney Consumer Products Disney Consumer Products (DCP) is the business segment of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) that extends the Disney brand to merchandise ranging from apparel, toys, home decor and books to interactive games, food and beverages, stationery, electronics and animation art. This is accomplished through the work of DCP's various lines of business: Disney Toys, Disney Apparel, Disney Food, Health & Beauty, Disney Home, Disney Stationery, Disney Publishing, Buena Vista Games, Baby Einstein, and www.disneyshopping.com. The Disney Store, which debuted in 1987, also falls under DCP, through stores currently owned and operated by unaffiliated third parties under licensing agreements in North America and Japan, and wholly-owned stores in Europe. For more information, please visit www.disneyconsumerproducts.com About Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment, a recognized leader in the home entertainment industry, is the marketing, sales and distribution company for Walt Disney, Touchstone, Hollywood Pictures, Miramax and Buena Vista product which includes DVD, Blu-ray Disc, and electronic distribution. Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment is a division of Disney Enterprises, Inc. |
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Jobs signed Pixar contract with questionable option date bizjournals - Apple Inc. chief executive Steve Jobs helped broker a film director's employment contract with Pixar Inc. that included a large stock options grant that had a particularly beneficial date, according to reports Friday. The Wall Street Journal said the grant was part of a 2001 contract between Pixar and John Lasseter, and carried the lowest share price of the previous year on a date more than three months before the signing of the contract. Jobs, who was at the time chairman and CEO of Pixar, signed on behalf of the company. The Journal said it's not clear whether Jobs had a role in choosing the prior grant date, one of several awarded by the Emeryville-based company at yearly lows. Pixar, which was bought last year by Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) is conducting an internal investigation into its options grant practices, and is being examined by federal prosecutors in San Francisco. Lasseter is Disney's chief creative officer of its animation studios. Lasseter's Pixar contract that is being questioned included a $5 million signing bonus, a $2.5 million annual salary and one million stock options. Prosecutors and the SEC are already looking into Jobs's role in stock-options backdating at Cupertino-based Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL). The company recently cleared him of wrongdoing. |
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Pixar
options reportedly under probe CNNMoney.com - Apple Chairman and CEO Steve Jobs, whose company's stock-options practices are already the subject of a Securities and Exchange Commission probe, agreed to a large stock-options grant to a key filmmaker at his Pixar Animation Studios in 2001 as well, according to a published report. The Wall Street Journal reports that the grant went to John Lasseter, who has been either executive producer or the writer-director of all of Pixar's string of seven blockbuster hit movies to date. Federal prosecutors in San Francisco also are looking into Pixar options, the newspaper reported, and it is also the subject of an internal Disney probe. The paper said that the options, part of Lasseter's 2001 employment contract, carried the lowest share price of the previous year - on a date more than three months before the employment contract was actually signed. Pixar has since been purchased by media conglomerate Walt Disney, which placed Jobs on its board. The paper said that Disney declined to answer questions about the options other than to repeat an earlier statement by CEO Bob Iger in which he told investors in November that "we aren't aware of any basis under which stock options that were issued by Pixar would have a material impact on our financial statements." A spokeswoman at Apple told the paper that Jobs was not available for comment. The Journal said that Lasseter's early success as the writer and director of Pixar's first three hits, "Toy Story," "A Bug's Life," and "Toy Story 2," made him a superstar in the growing field of computer-generated animation, and that it was important for Pixar to lock him up to a long-term contract. Disney, which was then Pixar's partner but also a competitor that was seeing weakness in its own hand-drawn animation offerings, had discussions with Lasseter about possibly hiring him, according to the paper. The 2001 contract included a $5 million signing bonus, a $2.5 million annual salary and one million stock options. But the options weren't priced on the date of the contract, which the paper said Jobs signed on behalf of Pixar, at which he was also chairman and CEO as well as holding those titles at Apple. Instead, the paper said options were dated Dec. 6, 2000, carrying a strike price of the stock's close the day before, which it said was the yearly low and was at the bottom of a months-long slide. The Journal reports that by the close of trading March 20, the day before the contract was signed, Pixar's shares had climbed 24 percent, increasing Lasseter's potential profit on the options by $6.4 million. The Journal said that questions about the granting of those options were also raised by an unexplained delay in reporting the options to the SEC, well after the deadline if they had been granted in December, but just 49 days after the contract was signed in March 2001. The Journal, citing SEC documents, reports that Lasseter exercised about 880,000 of those options and sold the shares, and converted the rest to Disney stock at the time of the company's sale in 2006. Apple has said that Jobs has been cleared of wrongdoing by its internal probe of its options practices, but it admitted that Jobs was aware that some stock options granted to him and other executives at Apple between 1997 and 2002 were backdated. The company has had to take after-tax charges of $84 million to reflect stock-based compensation expenses for the backdated options. There is a risk for Apple if the scandal were to force Jobs to give up the top spot at the computer company he co-founded, and is credited with reviving once he returned to the top posts in July 1997, back when Apple was a struggling company that was losing money. Among the companies that have seen their CEO leave amid a growing scandal over stock options are tech firms such as Comverse Technology and McAfee as well as non-tech companies such as UnitedHealth Group and KB Home. |
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Company Files Lien Against Cinderella's Castle Local 6 - A lien has been filed against the crown jewel of Disney's Magic Kingdom Cinderella's Castle. Specialty Products and Insulation told Local 6 News that it's owed money for materials that they provided for the castle's recent makeover. To ensure that a contractor will pay them, the
company filed a construction lien for $3,984.87 against
Magic Kingdom Cinderella's Castle. If Disney ever tried to sell the castle -- something it said it has no plans of doing -- the subcontractor would likely have to be paid before the deal could finalized, Local 6 News reported. For the record, Disney does not owe SPI any money; the dispute is between SPI and the contractor that hired it, Local 6 News reported. Local 6 News also reported that liens similar to this one are common in the construction industry, and in recent years, liens were placed against other Disney structures such as It's a Small World, Haunted Mansion, Spaceship Earth and Expedition Everest. Disney officials told Local 6 News that the subcontractor in this instance had no legal right to stake a claim on Cinderella's Castle, and the lien is in the process of being withdrawn. |
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Pierre & Vacances, EuroDisney to set up holiday JV Reuters - French holiday village developer Pierre & Vacances (PVAC.PA) and EuroDisney (EDLP.PA) will next Tuesday announce plans to build a new nature-based holiday park near Paris, according to a government news release on Friday. It said the two companies aimed to join forces within a new company, Societes Villages Nature, to look into building the park on land currently reserved for the Disneyland Paris resort operated by EuroDisney near the French capital. "Given the importance of this project for the economic and social development of the Ile-de-France (Paris region), the state is showing its interest for Villages Nature," the statement said. "It intends to continue...a new stage of negotiations
with Societes Villages Nature to define how to develop
and realise this project," it added. |
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Local
man sues Disney for $50-million MyFox Tampa Bay - Walt Disney sailed into fame and fortune with Steamboat Willie featuring Mickey Mouse. Clearwater resident Steven Stein thinks he has Disney's original drawing of the famous character. "Nobody else would have done anything this big of this character in the 1920's except Walt Disney," Stein claimed. Stein says he paid a New York City thrift store $3 for the drawing in 1984, and he says he's spent many years and many dollars authenticating the artwork.
That date would be after Disney created a character called Oswald the Rabbit, lost the rights to that creature, and came up with another one. If the drawing Stein has does turn out to be Disney's first rendition of the Mickey character, his name was not yet Mickey. It was Mortimer. Disney's wife who thought Mortimer Mouse was far too serious a name. Stein claims the Disney Corporation has refused to even look at his drawing since he approached them in 1989. "I've asked them many times to either see it, tell me why they don't think it is what it is, answer my evidence," he said. Now Stein is taking Disney to court. "I'm suing them for $50-million, the copyright on Mickey Mouse, and the right to tell the Walt Disney story," said Stein. Stein believes somebody must have a copy of an old newsreel showing his drawing over the shoulder of a very young Walt Disney. Perhaps his lawsuit will flush that film out, and prove he possesses one very valuable mouse. Stein also claims there are markings on the back of his drawing in the handwriting of Walt Disney. |
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Disney Online Unveils Details for Pirates of the
Caribbean Online MMORPG - In lieu with the launch details of the MMORPG based on the successful movie franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean Online gets unwrapped further as developers from Disney Online have released a few entries from their journals. It's a treasure trove, we tell you! Lovingly referred to as Pirates Online, the game was actually already in the plans of Disney before the first "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie. It was supposed to be an MMO inside an MMO. Toontown, the first MMO game created by Disney Online, was supposed to be the first that provided access to other MMO games inside the Toontown world. And Pirates Online was one of them.  The
game is being designed with the concept of a thrill-ride
in a theme park. And that's what they had decided from
the start, even as the developers were approached with
the option to start working on the pirate-themed MMORPG.
So you can expect the same thrill to be present in the
game just as the movie had delivered to the audience
twice now.With the video delivered by fellow blogger Remi M. a few days ago, it demonstrated the wide range of character customizations available for your swashbuckling avatar. Reminiscent of the another game, The Sims 2, the character generation gives players a chance to recreate themselves with a whole new pirate look. They have provided ten character bodies - five male and five female - each of which can be altered in many different ways. Remember the curse of the Black Pearl? No, we mean the curse that turns people who stole from the chest of Cortez into undead, not the movie. Well, your character can be cursed, and when it does, it turns into a walking, talking skeleton corpse. Surprising enough, the "cursed" form still retains the same physical characteristics of your normal avatar, like height and body build. Now you all may be asking, "Where does the cursed form come into play?" Well, that, our dear readers, is available for the PvP mode. Players can do just as many things that Will Turner and Jack Sparrow accomplished in the movies: swing from ledge to ledge, spring traps, board ships, parry skillfully with a sword, among other things. The MMORPG itself will sport an intuitive camera mode and control interface. And because the characters from the movie can be met in the game, Pirates Online will even sport in-game cinematics to give players the feeling that they're playing a part in a whole big movie. The game world was designed to accommodate authentic locations, ports, ships, weapons, and clothing of the Caribbean region during the European movement into the New World. It sets the stage for the many lore and legends present in that era, including those of the fictional Jack Sparrow and Captain Barbossa. But the world of Pirates Online isn't limited to personalities already introduced in the movies; Disney Online has plans to add a bit of their own. Introducing, the Jolly Roger. Yes, you all know him as the pirate's official flag. But this one is a keeper: he's one of the meanest baddies you'll meet in the game. He even surpasses Sparrow, Barbossa, and Davy Jones. You'll know you've seen Jolly Roger when you spot his gun and triple-bladed arm. And you should, for you will see him within the first 15 minutes of the game. And how about magic? Well, another character, the mystic Tia Dalma, will provide you with voodoo know-how. So now you can curse people in addition to sinking their ships, gutting them with your trusty blade or putting a shot into them with guns. There are a whole lot of options available for players, and Disney Online is always looking for more ways. And while we wait for Pirates Online to be released, we'll keep you informed of developments. |
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ABC's Lost Viewership Off 15% From Last Year After a three month absence, ABC's Lost returned in a new time period, Wednesday at 10 p.m., with 14.68 million viewers (second behind CBS' CSI: NY--15.78 million) and a first-place 6.5 rating/16 share among adults 18-49 according to fast national data from Nielsen Media Research. Year-to-year Lost was down by 4.06 million viewers and 15 percent among adults 18-49. Lost lifted ABC to its highest-rated telecast among adults 18-49 in the Wednesday 10 p.m. hour for any regular series (on any network) since the season premiere of NBC’s ER on Sept. 21, 2006. And the network scored its strongest performance in the time period in total viewers and adults 18-49 since the two-hour season-finale of Lost last May. But leading out of Dancing With the Stars last fall, Lost averaged a heftier 16.67 million viewers with a 6.9/17 among adults 18-49 this in the Wednesday 9 p.m. hour. Without the benefit of ample lead-in support effective next week (low-rated sitcom In Case of Emergency was pre-empted last night for 9 p.m. special, The Lost Survivor Guide, Lost is expected to lose more steam as the season progresses. |
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Think You're Not Watching Disney This Weekend? Kim
Possible! E! Online - If you do one thing this weekend, you've got to watch the Disney Channel. Yes, you heard me right, the Disney Channel, which just so happens to be the home of my favorite guilty pleasure—Kim Possible. Don't knock it just because it's animated! Kim Possible is straight-up one of the funniest, smartest and coolest shows anywhere on television, and this weekend it's actually returning from the dead with all-new episodes after being canceled in 2005. (Gives you hope for Everwood, right?)
You should not miss this second chance with Kim when the new episodes premiere this Sat., Feb. 10 at 8 p.m.! I wanted a head start on season four, so I collared creators Mark McCorkle and Bob Schooley to find out everything about Kim's return! For those who don't know, how did you guys
come up with the show? Can you talk a little bit about why the show
went away in the first place? What's coming down the pike this season? Are
there going to be ninja monkeys? Because the ninja
monkeys are my favorite. Are there any new villains? It's the Disney Channel—you've got to teach
the audience something! The big change this season is that Ron and
Kim are together. You guys did a great job in the
premiere acknowledging the fears that this is when the
show jumps the shark, but did you have problems managing
that storyline? How long will this show go on? How long do
you guys want to be involved with it? How long does
Disney want it to keep running? |
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The Walt Disney–Tishman African Art Collection Two years ago, the National Museum of African Art was bequeathed a collection that, because of its size and the variety of art in it, is world renowned. It also provided the animators at Disney with some of the inspiration for the movie version of The Lion King. There have been preview exhibits of a few pieces from the collection, but beginning February 15, the museum will devote more space to “African Vision: The Walt Disney–Tishman African Art Collection.” Highlights include carved ivory, wooden sculptures, and a wall of masks from many African regions. The exhibit runs through fall 2008 at the National Museum of African Art. |
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Disney's California Food and Wine Weekends 2007 Disney.com - Celebrate the palate pleasing flavors of California cuisine and spirits as the Disneyland Resort plays host to a food-lover's festival that showcases the diverse tastes of the Golden State. Join celebrity chefs, noted sommeliers and fellow culinary connoisseurs in a series of demonstrations, seminars, and epicurean adventures that will have your mouth watering every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from April 27 — May 20, 2007. |
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Disney considers
specializing At an investors' conference Disney is holding this week, Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, told analysts that the future for Disney could include making deeply immersion-oriented Disney experiences more available to a broader range of people, pending high return on investment. Disney, for example, could develop Downtown Disney-type retail and restaurant districts in cities far from either the Orlando area or Anaheim, Calif., where its Disney World and Disneyland theme park complexes are located. "I think the strategy is to expand the company's business and theme parks without spending billions of dollars and taking huge risks," said Abraham Pizam, dean of the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. "You can have smaller, boutique theme parks with associated hotels, and spread the Disney message and attitude throughout the United States." Pizam said Disney's idea to build hotels in urban areas where people travel for conventions or other business could be a winner. "It's a great marketing tool to whet the appetite of
the little ones to come to the big parks," Pizam said.
"It would cost less than to build another mega-park.
Disney may or may not put a hotel or park in Las Vegas,
but I can Jerry Aldrich, president of Orlando-based Amusement Industry Consulting, said the idea could give Disney a worldwide brand reach. "I think the people coming into a city are looking for brand," Aldrich said. "If you were coming for shopping or a convention or whatever, it's kind of like Orlando. People tend to bring their family, because there are things to do. People associate with that name." "Many of our visitors -- 13 percent of our overnight guests -- list the main reason they come here is to visit Orlando attractions, but they want to stay on the beach," said Rob Varley, executive director of the Space Coast Office of Tourism. "Disney is the reason they're coming here, but they want the beach. So there's reason enough for Disney to consider infrastructure on beachside. They could buy one of the existing hotels and fix it up. Why reinvent the wheel?" |
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Heritage Auctions will hold its music and entertainment signature auction April 14-15 at its headquarters in Dallas. Among the highlights are Walt Disney items, including:
“There’s no doubt that Walt Disney is one of the foremost entertainment icons in history,” said Doug Norwine, director of music and entertainment auctions for Heritage. “Not only does he hold the record for most Academy Awards ever won – 22 Oscars and four honorary Awards – but Mickey Mouse is one of the most famous and well-recognized of all fictional characters, and Disney’s classic movies and cartoons have been seen by countless people worldwide. “We’re proud to present two important pieces of memorabilia related to this great entertainer in our upcoming auction. First is Walt’s passport, issued to him on August 19, 1965 and used during a trip to London. Boldly signed twice by Walt in sharp blue ink, the passport also contains a wonderful, smiling photo of the great man. Disney signatures are some of the most desirable in the entire field of autograph collecting, and this is one of the nicest specimens one is ever likely to find. “Also on offer is an item of great historical significance. On April 3, 1953, Walt Disney signed a document that would change the face of entertainment for all time. This two-page contract, which precedes the opening of Disneyland by two full years, gives ‘the Corporation the right and license to use [Disney’s] name for all commercial purposes.’ By signing this document, Walt made possible Disneyland, Disney World, the TV shows Walt Disney Presents and The Wonderful World of Disney, and much, much more. This document, also signed boldly in blue ink by Disney, has a value far beyond that of the signature itself. By signing this document, Walt shaped the course of entertainment for years to come.” |
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Top40-Charts - Disney's Hollywood Records, today, announced the start of a new partnership by signing The Jonas Brothers. The Brothers made a huge splash in the music industry with the release of their debut album, "It's About Time" in August 2006. Continuing with their creativity and well-respected reputation, The Brothers are gearing up to record their follow-up album, entitled "Jonas Brothers" due out in August 2007. This album will continue the current successes of The Brothers first album which has landed the group the number eleven song on iTunes Top Music List and three songs on Radio Disney's Top 30 Play List. "We are delighted to have The Jonas Brothers at Hollywood. They are talented and focused on making a great album," said Bob Cavallo, Chairman of Disney's Buena Vista Music Group. "Their energy is infectious, and potential limitless." |
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Thursday February 8, 2007 |
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Mobile
ESPN to Relaunch Through Verizon AP - The jockeying to bring the most popular names from TV and the Web to cell phones produced another exclusive deal Thursday with Verizon Wireless nabbing a multiyear agreement to offer ESPN's flashy feed of sports scores, newscasts and video highlights on the tiny screen. The plan to revive Mobile ESPN -- initially born as a full-blown cell phone company competing with big players like Verizon before ESPN pulled the plug late last year -- comes on the heels of similar partnerships adding a mobile outlet to the hottest Web properties. The most publicized deal came a month ago as Apple Inc. forged an exclusive arrangement with AT&T Inc.'s Cingular Wireless for the carrier to offer iPhone, the anxiously-awaited cellular manifestation of Apple's popular iPod music player and iTunes online music store. Verizon Wireless notched deals in November to become the sole U.S. mobile portal for two top video-sharing sites, Google Inc.'s YouTube and Revver.com. On the social networking side, News Corp.'s MySpace has granted limited exclusivity to AT&T's Cingular in the United States and to Vodafone Group PLC overseas. Exclusive arrangements don't necessarily mean that customers of other wireless companies are out of luck. Regardless of the carrier, it's still possible to access most of these services through the mobile Web browser that's now installed on nearly every cell phone. ESPN, for example, will still offer mobile access to some of its conent through Web links featured by numerous wireless providers. But since the most widely used technology for adapting Web pages to mobile phones remains highly imperfect, the recent partnerships are designed to provide much smoother controls and presentation customized to the constraints of a handset's small screen and cramped buttons. The partners have somewhat different motivations: The Web players are simply trying to parlay their success into new revenue and protect their popularity against copycats by providing access in a medium that younger consumers hold dear. For cell carriers, the deals provide a way to differentiate themselves at a time when revenue from phone calls is shrinking. All of the national providers have invested billions to upgrade their wireless networks, which they are using to generate new revenue by selling multimedia content from music to video and plain old Web surfing. The Mobile ESPN service, expected to launch in the coming months, is to be included free as part of the $15 a month or $3 a day charge for V Cast's assorted multimedia offerings. The Verizon relationship is the first example of the new strategy that ESPN executives promised last September in announcing they were pulling the plug on Mobile ESPN as a standalone cell phone company featuring its own handsets, calling plans, customer service and monthly phone bills. That ambitious venture, launched in late 2005 by parent company Walt Disney Co., is believed to have signed up fewer than 30,000 customers despite drawing positive reviews for the sophisticated multimedia application that ESPN created to deliver its popular TV and Web content within the cramped constraints of a cell phone. By contrast, Verizon Wireless has 59 million subscribers, a third of whom have phones compatible with V Cast. The companies declined to disclose the financial terms or exact length of the deal, though one executive noted that a multiyear arrangement is lengthier than a typical wireless content agreement. The Mobile ESPN application will be adapted to all phones compatible with V Cast, starting with perhaps a couple of models at the outset, the executive said. Mobile ESPN offers real-time scoring updates, video highlights, short newscasts and news alerts. Many features can be customized around a user's favorite sports or teams. Participants in ESPN.com fantasy sports will be able to manage their teams via cell phone. In another mobile content deal announced Thursday, ESPN said it will provide one of the channels for a new broadcast TV service for cell phones. Verizon expects to offer the service over MediaFLO -- a separate wireless network developed by Qualcomm Inc. that can broadcast up to 20 TV channels -- in at least one market by the end of March. Sprint Nextel Corp. has been testing MediaFlo, but no launch has been announced. |
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Co.
Petitions for Disney to Give Up Pooh AP - In the latest move in a long struggle with Walt Disney Co. over the rights to A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh, Stephen Slesinger Inc. petitioned the U.S. Patent Office to cancel Disney's trademark registrations over the 80-year-old bear and his friends. Disney moved immediately to block Slesinger's petition, saying in its quarterly report filed Wednesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission that the petition duplicated Slesinger's requests in an ongoing lawsuit between the two companies. Stephen Slesinger Inc. is a film production company named after the literary agent who bought merchandising and other rights to Winnie the Pooh from Milne in the 1930s. The company sued Disney in 1991 claiming that the Burbank, Calif., media conglomerate owed it several hundred million dollars in royalties for Pooh movies and merchandise. Slesinger also sought to cancel its 1983 licensing agreement with Disney, citing alleged contract breaches. The case was dismissed in 2004, but Slesinger is appealing the dismissal. In 2002, Disney's entertainment unit and Milne's granddaughter filed suit against Slesinger to terminate A.A. Milne's grant of the Pooh rights to the literary agent and his company. A district court ruled against Disney and Clare Milne's right to terminate Slesinger's rights, and an appeals court affirmed the district court's ruling. In 2006, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Disney's appeal. Slesinger filed its own countersuit to Disney and Clare Milne's suit, seeking, among other things, $2 billion in damages. The ongoing trials between Slesinger and Disney are scheduled to continue this spring. Disney spokesman Jonathan Friedland said the allegations in Slesinger's petition to the patent office are same they've made in their earlier case that was dismissed. "This is by no means anything more than the 'same old, same old,'" he said. |
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Disney plans themed hotels for major U.S. cities Orlando Sentinel - Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is considering putting Disney-themed hotels and nightlife districts into downtown areas of major cities that don't currently have Disney properties. Disney is not yet making any commitments to "urban Disney hotels" or stand-alone Disney entertainment districts, Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo told investors tonight. But he outlined them as "some of the ideas our business team and Imagineers [Disney's term for designers and engineers] are thinking about," as ways to expand Disney's tourism business into new locales. In addressing investors, Rasulo said Disney is thinking about developing major "flagship" hotels -- such as the Disney Grand Floridian at Walt Disney World -- or themed hotels that could be built in large cities that already are tourist draws. He did not cite examples. He also said the Downtown Disney concept has been so successful at both Disney World and Disneyland in California that the idea could be transplanted into major urban areas. |
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Disney says advertisers embrace TV shows on Web Reuters - Walt Disney Co. (DIS.N) executives on Thursday said advertisers and local affiliate television stations were embracing the concept of television shows on the Internet, and that the company aims to increase its reach into nontraditional viewing. Anne Sweeney, co-chair of Disney Media Networks, told an investor conference that Disney's ABC Television Network's ad-supported broadband player, which allows viewers to watch episodes of prime time shows on the Internet, sold out its advertising space for the first and second quarters of this year. The network has secured commitments from 80 percent of ABC affiliates -- many of which originally were fearful that the player would cut into local ad revenue -- that want to incorporate local ads into the Web programming. Programming on the player will be expanded to include national news and local content later this year. The player will be upgraded to allow viewers to adjust the picture size and bandwidth. The broadband player has received requests for more than 50 million episodes since September. This summer, ABC.com also will launch an expanded site for "America's Funniest Home Videos" to allow viewers to upload their own home videos and search among those videos and others featured on the show, Sweeney said in remarks monitored by Webcast. Sports cable network ESPN will relaunch its wireless content package, Mobile ESPN, on the Verizon Wireless network, and will create a new channel for wireless television offered through MediaFLO USA Inc, a subsidiary of Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM.O ), the company said. Disney took a $30 million charge last year when it shut down Mobile ESPN. The new wireless TV channel will be called ESPN Mobile TV, and it will offer live, simulcast sports events, sports news, commentary and real time sports scores and game updates. Chief Executive Robert Iger said he has "refined" his message over the 18 months since he became CEO but still was focused on becoming "platform aggressive" and reaching out to consumers through the Internet. "We are using technology in a very pro-consumer way," Iger said. "We have to use it to ... move product to the consumer on a well-timed, well-priced basis," he said, citing Disney's deal last year to sell ABC TV shows and Disney movies on Apple Inc.'s (AAPL.O ) iTunes store as "a perfect example." "We think it is increasing the pie of media consumption" rather than cutting into TV ratings or DVD sales, he added. To compete in a "deeply multicultural world," the company is "talking about planting ourselves on the ground in those markets and making Disney content in those markets for those markets," Iger said. To capitalize on a better return on Disney-branded content, compared with non-Disney content, the company renamed some of its businesses to help consumers find it among increasing marketplace clutter, he said. The company also recast Buena Vista Games as Disney Interactive Studios and Touchstone Television studio, which makes the ABC hits "Desperate Housewives," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Ugly Betty," was renamed "the ABC Television Studio." Disney shares were down 1 percent at $35.13 on the New York Stock Exchange at midday. |
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Analysts get conservative on Disney shares MarketWatch - Shares of Disney were off by 26 cents to $35.22 in recent action. A couple of company watchers said the company's incredible first-quarter performance in which Disney beat analyst earnings estimates by 11 cents a share may be unsustainable over the next couple of quarters.
While full-year estimates for Disney climbed, the
average forecast from analysts polled by Thomson
Financial only ticked up by a few cents -- to $1.76
from $1.73 a share -- despite the 11-cent surprise in
Wednesday's earnings report.
"Future quarters are likely to be uninspiring based on
difficult comparisons and higher level of spending,"
Michael Kupinski, A.G. Edwards analyst, said in a note
to clients. "We are not flowing through the full
11-cent upside in Q1 as we are lowering are second-
and third-quarter earnings-per-share estimates."
Jeff Wlodarczak of Wachovia Capital Markets agreed,
saying: "We believe over time content success has a
tendency to revert to mean and after four years of
excellent results, sustainability of results is
increasingly becoming an issue beginning in upcoming
Fiscal Q2."
The analysts echoed statements made by Disney Chief
Financial Officer Thomas Staggs, who said in a
conference call after earnings were released that the
company was up against tough comparisons.
Disney's first-quarter earnings were helped by a
bonanza in home-video income coupled with a
double-digit jump in networks profits -- plus a gain
from the sale of publishing properties. All that
combined to a doubling of first-quarter earnings and a
10% climb in sales.
Reporting after the close Wednesday, Disney said net
income was $1.7 billion, or 79 cents a share, compared
with $734 million, or 37 cents a share, for the same
period a year ago. The Burbank, Calif.-based company
said revenue was $9.73 billion vs. last year's $8.85
billion.
Earnings were affected by a 29-cent gain from sales
of Disney's interest in E! Entertainment and Us
Weekly. Without it, the company would have reported
earnings of 50 cents a share. Analysts polled by
Thomson Financial expected Disney to earn 39 cents a
share on sales of $9.5 billion.
"It's hard not to be pleased with where we are out
of the blocks here," Staggs said after the earnings
were released.
Disney's big gain came from studio operations, where
the company said operating income more than tripled,
going to $604 million from $128 million a year ago.
DVD releases of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead
Man's Chest," "Cars" and a re-release of "Little
Mermaid" fueled the rise. Sales for the unit rose
29% to $2.6 billion, the company said.
Income at its media networks jumped 24%, going to
$750 million from $606 million. Staggs said in a
call with journalists that the company's ABC
Television Network saw a 27% gain in income. Some of
that was due to the absence of "Monday Night
Football," which had been considered a drain on
sales prior to its shifting to Disney's ESPN cable
network.
Conversely, ESPN saw increased ad sales by taking
"Monday Night Football" and dropping its previous
broadcast of Sunday night games for the National
Football League.
Elsewhere, Disney said Parks and Resorts sales were
up 4% to $2.5 billion. Walt Disney World saw higher
attendance and guest spending while Disneyland in
California attendance was down slightly.
Staggs said decreased attendance at Disneyland was
due in part to difficult comparisons with the park's
50th anniversary celebration a year ago.
Disney didn't provide forecasts for upcoming
quarters, but Staggs pointed out that company could
face a similar situation with difficult comparisons
with latter quarters this year. In 2006, theatrical
releases of "Cars" and "Pirates" drove up income and
sales for the company.
Analysts were bound to be pleased that Disney beat
estimates by 11 cents a share. But it wasn't just
the bounty from "Pirates" and "Cars" that impressed
them.
Rick Munarriz, analyst at "The Motley Fool," said
that except for its consumer products division,
Disney seems to continue to hit on all cylinders.
"I liked what I saw," he said. "I think the
company's doing everything right."
Munarriz sees slow, but steady growth for Disney
shares going forward. He adds that another
installment of "Pirates" due later this year should
help the bottom line. "Pirates of the Caribbean: At
World's End" is scheduled for release May 25.
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Disney plans "Haunted High School Musical" feature
Reuters) - Walt Disney Co. (DIS.N) said it will follow up on the success of its "High School Musical" made-for-TV movie and franchise, by releasing a big screen movie, "Haunted High School Musical" in 2008. The original "High School Musical," made for $4.2 million, was a Romeo and Juliet-style musical widely derided by critics, but embraced by fans around the world. It premiered in 2006 and has been viewed by 100 million people, spawned the top-selling album in the United States in 2006, sold 6.5 million DVDs worldwide and a concert tour. Disney on Thursday said "High School Musical" would contribute $100 million to profits in 2006 and 2007. It did not reveal the plot of the "Haunted" movie. Disney on Wednesday said first quarter operating income at its cable networks increased $81 million to $453 million, driven by increases at the international Disney channels and domestic Disney/ABC cable networks. The increase at the domestic cable networks was driven in part by DVD sales of "High School Musical" and higher affiliate and advertising revenues, the company said. Disney has said it also plans to release "High School Musical 2" this summer on its cable network, Disney Channel. "(High School Musical) skyrocketed to heights never before achieved by a TV movie, so it's only fitting that its next incarnation should be as a major motion picture," said Gary Marsh, president, entertainment, Disney Channel Worldwide. Internationally, "High School Musical" has aired on 26 Disney Channels worldwide and broadcast networks, reaching over 100 countries. |
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HK Disney
falls short on promises The Standard - Problems continue to plague Hong Kong Disneyland, whose low attendance numbers fell even more this quarter toward levels that will see the Disney company break performance promises with its lenders. The company said the Hong Kong park drew fewer visitors from October to December 2006 than in the same period the previous year amid otherwise stellar first-quarter fiscal year 2007 results. Attendance and sales at the park also fell short of projections. "If these trends do not significantly improve," Hong Kong Disneyland will not meet performance promises it made to bank lenders, Disney said in a filing with the US securities regulator. Disney will then be forced to refinance the US$294 million (HK$2.29 million) in debt taken out for the park. "The early going in Hong Kong has been more challenging than we had hoped," Disney chief financial officer Tom Staggs told analysts gathered at Walt Disney World in Florida for the company's 2007 investor conference. "The decreases at Hong Kong Disneyland ... were primarily due to lower attendance and guest spending," the company said in its report. Disney executives in California and Disneyland representatives in Hong Kong have long insisted that the park was doing well. But during an investors' meeting to discuss the first-quarter results, the company admitted changes are necessary. "Hong Kong Disneyland is developing a little more slowly than we expected in 1999 when the deal was put together," Walt Disney Parks and Resorts chairman Jay Rasulo said. "We identified some challenges to be addressed in the near term, particularly in sales and marketing and in the seasonality that the resort is experiencing," Rasulo said. Disney announced Wednesday that first-quarter profits more than doubled after two of its studio's releases, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and Cars, became the two biggest DVD sellers of 2006. The company's net income for the quarter rose to US$1.7 billion, from US$734 million the previous year. Theme parks posted a profit of US$405 million, up 8 percent from a year ago. Revenue from all of Disney's parks rose 4 percent to US$2.49 billion. Walt Disney sees the Hong Kong theme park - which they refer to as "our flagship in China" - as a leading example of the company's top-priority effort to expand internationally. It has been hoping to use the Hong Kong experience to gain Chinese government approval for a theme park in Shanghai. Hong Kong Disneyland is operated by Hong Kong International Theme Park, a joint venture between Walt Disney and the SAR government. Hong Kong Disneyland vice president for public affairs BC Lo said in an emailed statement that the management of the park is taking "a number of steps to address challenges" and is also considering future opportunities to expand the park, which many say is too small. "It is important to remember that a significant amount of Hong Kong Disneyland's business will come in the third and fourth quarter as it does in all Disney Parks around the world," Lo said. In preparation for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, Hong Kong Disneyland launched a marketing campaign on February 2 that sees traditional Disney characters Mickey, Goofy and Donald Duck frolicking around the park in traditional Chinese clothing. The park has also been decked with red and gold decorations said to invite prosperity and good fortune. And the beleaguered park may need the luck it can get. Last year, the park did not adequately prepare for the annual holiday, which sees millions of mainlanders flooding into Hong Kong attractions. Droves of visitors with valid tickets were turned away from an overcrowded park. This year to ensure a similar situation does not recur, the park designated February 17-24 as so-called `Special Days' and only people holding date- specific tickets will be allowed entry. "The government sees Hong Kong Disneyland as a long-term investment," a Tourism Commission spokeswoman said. "We cannot jump to conclusions from the early poor performance." |
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ESPN NASCAR Busch Series Telecast Schedule
WDW News - ESPN's full race telecast schedule for the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series season includes live coverage of all 35 races and coverage of practice and qualifying for 17 events. ESPN2 will be the home of the series for 29 races, with six to be televised by ESPN on ABC. The season will begin with coverage of the NASCAR Busch Series Orbitz 300 from Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, Feb. 17, at 1:15 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The telecast will be ESPN's first live NASCAR race in six years. ESPN2 will be the home of the NASCAR Busch Series, with six events to be televised by ESPN on ABC, marking the first time in the 26-year history of the series that all races will be televised by the same company. ESPN2 will also carry the practice and qualifying coverage for 17 events. All race telecasts will be preceded by NASCAR Busch Series Countdown, a pre-race show aired live from the track. ESPN will elevate the NASCAR Busch Series with its multi-media platforms and the same standards and quality of production as the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series including the full use of High Definition cameras, Sportvision enhancements and state-of-the-art graphics. Brent Musburger will serve as host for all races on ESPN on ABC, as well as select events on ESPN2. Jerry Punch will be the network's lead announcer all season, joined in the booth by 1989 NASCAR champion Rusty Wallace and two-time NASCAR champion crew chief Andy Petree for analysis. Allen Bestwick, Dave Burns, Jamie Little and Mike Massaro will be season-long pit reporters. Dale Jarrett, one of the founding drivers on the NASCAR Busch Series when the series was formed in 1982 and the 1999 NASCAR Cup champion, will be the booth analyst for select races. Also working select events will be lead announcer Marty Reid, analyst Tim Brewer and pit reporters Shannon Spake and Vince Welch. Bestwick will assume the play-by-play role for the series event in Milwaukee. Brewer, a two-time NASCAR Cup champion crew chief, will join five-time NBA All-Star and former NASCAR team owner Brad Daugherty as studio analysts for the NASCAR Busch Series Countdown programs. ESPN's Chris Fowler will join the team as studio host at Daytona. ESPN2 will televise NASCAR Busch Series practice from Daytona on Thursday, Feb. 15, from 9:30-11 a.m. ET, with live coverage of qualifying from 3-6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 16. The NASCAR Busch Series Countdown pre-race show will begin at noon on race day. About NASCAR on ESPN: |
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Disney Studios to bring back hand-drawn animation Reuters - Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) plans to bring back hand-drawn animated films at its Feature Animation studio, a Disney-Pixar executive told investors on Thursday. "At Disney (Feature Animation) we will be making 3D films, we will be bringing back hand-drawn (two-dimensional) films," said Disney-Pixar President Ed Catmull. |
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Disney Merges Kids' Sales and Promotions Teams Marketing Vox News - As it strives to become even more popular with advertising buyers and marketing planners, Disney has merged its kids' ad sales and promotions teams. The merged unit will be able to offer a variety of customized and cross-media marketing options and has been designed to take advantage of Disney's strategy of offering content across various media. The division, called Disney Media Advertising Sales and Marketing Group, will be headed by Tricia Wilber, who will have three executives above her and seven managers reporting to her. The personnel both above and below Wilbur represent a cross-section of Disney's media efforts. The new division will integrate marketing efforts across TV, online, radio and print platforms. |
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Disney
rebrands video game unit bizjournals - The Walt Disney Co. is renaming its Buena Vista Games unit to Disney Interactive Studios, the company said Thursday. The unit will publish both Disney and non-Disney branded video games for all platforms worldwide. Video games will be published under the company's brands including Disney, ABC and Touchstone. "This change reflects our focus on creativity, the weight of Disney content in our portfolio, and the enormous value consumers see in the Disney brand," Senior Vice President and General Manager Graham Hopper said in a statement. The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) is based in Burbank. |
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Adam Shankman to Direct Bedtime Story for Disney Cinematical - I'll be brutally honest: Adam Shankman is probably my least favorite director working today. (Although after seeing Norbit, I'm thinking that Brian Robbins has really earned that #1 spot.) Why such scorn for the ultra-successful dance choreographer-turned-director? I'll give you five reasons: The Wedding Planner, A Walk to Remember, Bringing Down the House, The Pacifier and Cheaper By the Dozen 2. That's 0-for-5 at the plate, and a huge whiff of a strikeout on each successive film. But hey, they all made money, right? Anyway, so I'm not a fan. Moving on: Mr. Shankman has the John Waters adaptation Hairspray in the pipeline, and The Hollywood Reporter is now, well, reporting that the guy also has Bedtime Story in the works at Disney. Get this plot: "The story centers on a harried architect whose his life is turned upside down when the bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew start to come true." Wow, really? Just yank this concept directly out of the museum and that's enough to avoid a lawsuit? (I'm definitely in the wrong business.) The screenplay comes from first-timer Matt Lopez and "an idea by Disney exec Jason Reed, who is overseeing" the production. So basically a Disney exec called an aspiring writer into his office and said "We want something exactly like that big Ben Stiller smash, only with a different title." And voila, Adam Shankman has a new gig. Production begins this summer. |
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Disney-ABC Television Group renames Television Studio
The Futon Critic - Touchstone Television Becomes ABC Television Studio, Aligning Content Studio with Network Brand The Disney-ABC Television Group will rename its in-house production company, Touchstone Television, as the ABC Television Studio, it was announced today at the 2007 Disney Investor Conference by Anne Sweeney, co-chair, Disney Media Networks and president, Disney-ABC Television Group. The announcement was made as part of a company-wide strategy to focus on three core brands, Disney, ABC and ESPN. The new name reflects the studios critical role in building a brand that viewers identify with quality television on any platform. The newly named ABC Television Studio will continue to develop and produce premiere programming for network, cable, web, VOD, mobile and broadband platforms for The Walt Disney Company, as well as other outlets. In a related announcement also made at the conference, the business unit formerly known as Buena Vista Games will now be known as Disney Interactive Studios. Over the past few years, the studio has delivered some of the highest quality, most successful programming on television, including international franchise hits Lost and Desperate Housewives, as well as this years Golden Globe winners, Greys Anatomy and Ugly Betty, said Sweeney. The new name ties this success more closely with the ABC brand that viewers have come to value and trust. The formerly-named Touchstone Television has emerged as a leader in television development and production. The studio currently has 18 series on broadcast and cable networks, including ABC, NBC, CBS, ABC Family, Lifetime and FX. The studios current slate includes the top three scripted shows on television in the key A18-49 demographic Desperate Housewives, Greys Anatomy and Lost a feat no other studio has achieved in the history of Nielsen People Meter rating system. In addition to its contributions to ABCs schedule, the studios programming also includes the Emmy-nominated comedy Scrubs on NBC and hits Ghost Whisperer and Criminal Minds for CBS. For cable television, the studio produces ABC Family's best-performing original series of all time, Kyle XY, as well as Dirt, the new FX series starring Courtney Cox. Another series, Army Wives, will launch on Lifetime in June. The studio also produces ABCs late-night talker Jimmy Kimmel Live and is a distributor for The Amazing Race on CBS. It is incredibly rewarding that the company recognizes the strength of the studio as an asset to build overall brand perception, said Mark Pedowitz, president, ABC Television Studio. Under the ABC Television Studio banner, we will continue our strategy to create quality programming that makes a connection with consumers through a multitude of platforms. |
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Wednesday February 7, 2007 |
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Disney first quarter profit more than doubles Reuters - Walt Disney Co. (DIS.N) said on Wednesday that first quarter net earnings more than doubled from a year ago, driven by DVD sales of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" and "Cars" and helped by the sale of investments including an E! Entertainment stake. Shares rose 1.5 percent in afterhours trading. Disney said net income rose to $1.7 billion, or 79 cents per share, from $734 million, or 37 cents per share in last year's first quarter. Excluding gains on investments sales and stock based compensation-related charges, Disney posted earnings of 50 cents per share, topping the Wall Street target of 39 cents, according to Reuters Estimates. Revenue rose 10 percent to $9.7 billion, topping the analyst consensus of $9.5 billion. Disney has enjoyed robust earnings growth and a return to favor with investors since Robert Iger took over as chief executive in late 2005 and began an aggressive program to expand the company's global reach, revitalize its animation division and push the boundaries of digital distribution. The company's share price rose 12 percent during the quarter and now trades at about 20.3 times projected 2007 earnings. Rival Time Warner Inc (TWX.N) trades at a multiple of 21.2 times 2007 earnings and Viacom Inc (VIA.N), at a multiple of 20.6. Shares rose to $36.02 in after hours trade from a close of $35.48 on the New York Stock Exchange. |
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Disney says theme park bookings up about 3 pct Reuters - Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) Chief Financial Officer Tom Staggs said current bookings for travel to its domestic theme parks were up about three percent compared to the same point one year ago. "As we look at current bookings, we're trending slightly ahead of the prior year, about 3 percent ahead of the prior year," Staggs told reporters following the media company's release of its fiscal first quarter earnings. California-based Disney operates the Walt Disney World resort in Florida and the Disneyland park in southern California. |
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Disney.com packs in
fun Sun-Sentinel - Walt Disney Co. launched its redesigned Web site Tuesday, arranging its vast array of content to make it easier to navigate while taking advantage of faster broadband connections. The overhaul, Disney.com's first major redesign in more than five years, organizes the entertainment company's video, film and theme park content in a variety of ways. "We created a site that allows you to navigate the Walt Disney Co. in whatever way is most comfortable for you," said Steve Parkis, vice president of premium content for Disney Online. "The top of the page is designed for adults, but there is a character world for kids at the bottom." Instead of dividing Disney into business units, the new home page focuses on what the company offers. Buttons at the top of the page open content by topic, with subjects that include travel, games, music and TV. Colorful buttons on the lower half of the page feature pictures of Disney characters such as Snow White and Cinderella, a point of entry that Parkis said appeals to children. Last month, Disney Chief Executive Officer Robert Iger lauded the makeover in the keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. During the speech, he said the reconfigured site would go public at the end of January, but Parkis said a little more time was needed. "We don't open a theme park until all the rides are ready," Parkis said. "It is the same with Disney digital. We don't invite people on board until we are ready with the new ride." That extends to what Parkis said is one of the retooled site's most compelling features -- an area called Disney Extreme Digital that can be customized to suit an individual's interests. "It allows you to watch video, play games and communicate with your friends all in one place," Parkis said. The feature, known as Disney XD, will be fully rolled out over the next several months. Mary Enderle, a Web design consultant with the Enderle Group in California, said the new Disney site anticipates technological changes. "It is designed for a very wide-screen format," Enderle said. "And there is a lot of video and a lot of flash that take advantage of faster download speeds." Though Disney didn't reveal production costs, Enderle said the many new features couldn't have come cheap. "I would say they must have spent millions of dollars," she said. "This is one very engaging Web site." |
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Multichannel News - If you're a parent, you can testify to the fact that today's kids live and thrive in an integrated media world, and Disney restructured its advertising-sales and promotion groups so that clients can better reach these multitasking youngsters. The integrated unit, Disney Media Advertising Sales and Marketing Group, will be headed by executive vice president Tricia Wilber, who had been Disney ABC Cable Networks Group's senior VP of advertising sales and promotions. Wilber will lead a team to drive all advertising sales, marketing and promotions across TV platforms, including Toon Disney, commercial-free Disney Channel and Saturday-morning kids' fare on ABC. Wilber and crew will also push availabilities on such online offerings as Disney.com, publishing titles like Disney Adventures magazine and Radio Disney. In her new post, Wilber will report to three business-unit leaders: Rich Ross, president of Disney Channel Worldwide; Steve Wadsworth, president of Walt Disney Internet Group; and Russell Hampton, president, Disney Publishing Worldwide. Disney -- which will hold its kids' upfront-advertising presentation in Manhattan Thursday -- joins other top kids' players Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network in peddling an array of properties under one sales roof. "Our new structure enables best-practice sharing across media, sharpens the focus on our powerful consumer base of kids and families and will better serve our clients who are moving away from traditional media buying and increasingly seeking to invest in behavior-focused, multiplatform marketing solutions," Wilber said in a prepared statement. "By unifying our sales efforts and aligning exemplary, strategic people in key roles, we can expand the scale of these relationships and increase the effectiveness of our brand and franchise strategies," she added. To facilitate the one-stop shopping approach, Disney appointed a senior team to shepherd the various business areas and multiplatform arenas. Michelle Scarola, most recently VP, ad sales, Disney ABC Kids Networks, is now senior VP, TV sales and Eastern multimedia leader, overseeing sponsorship sales for Disney Channel and its Playhouse Disney preschool block; advertising on Toon Disney and its Jetix action block; and the Saturday-morning daypart of ABC. Brad Davis was promoted to senior VP, online sales and Western multimedia leader, with oversight for the media-sales efforts for all Disney-branded Internet Web sites, which collectively reach 31 million unique monthly users. Elsewhere, Jon Sayer was named VP, ad sales, Radio Disney, and Midwest multimedia leader, while Mary Beth Wright, as publisher of Disney Adventures and FamilyFun magazines, will lead the unit's publishing sales team. Three executives will also direct multiplatform support areas: Kara Rousseau as senior VP, marketing and sales development will lead the cross-team; Julie Watkins, VP, revenue planning, is now in charge of the sales and revenue planning team across all areas; and John Spadaro as VP of research will direct all ad-sales research across the various areas. Finally, Laura Nathanson will continue to oversee the ABC Family and abcfamily.com ad-sales group focusing on adult millennial audiences. She now reports to ABC Family president Paul Lee. |
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'Lost'
horizon
Orlando Sentinel - Can the series remain challenging and recapture disappointed fans? Perhaps you've wandered away from Lost. The ABC drama's makers understand why you might have moved on. "This show requires sort of vigilant maintenance," executive producer Carlton Cuse says. "There are people who fall away because it does require you to really keep up on the episodes." The audience fell 19 percent in the fall from the same time in 2005. Series co-creator Damon Lindelof says he wants those viewers to return, and yet . . . "If we were writing toward getting them back, we might potentially be alienating the people that we have," he adds. Lost returns tonight to continue its third season. A special at 9 o'clock recaps the story. The series offered six episodes in the fall and left the air Nov. 8. A fresh installment airs in the series' new time slot, at 10 tonight, away from American Idol. ABC has a new strategy, airing 16 episodes without repeats through May. Tonight's haunting episode focuses on Juliet (Elizabeth Mitchell) and explains how she came to join the mysterious Others who have terrorized the plane-crash survivors. The episode contains a devastating illustration of the adage "be careful what you ask for." There are striking guest performances by William Mapother as Ethan, Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert and Zeljko Ivanek as Edmund. Jack (Matthew Fox), Kate (Evangeline Lilly) and Sawyer (Josh Holloway) continue to fight their captors. Some viewers have found their imprisonment too punishing. Lindelof offers no apologies. "The Others are an antagonistic force on the island," he says. "If they had been nice and kind and docile and sweet with Kate and Jack and Sawyer, it would not have told the story we wanted it to. The people who feel it was punishing have a legitimate gripe, but all I can say is the punishment has come to an end in terms of that story." Lost soon will turn to the other crash survivors in what Lindelof calls a throwback to season one, when the drama was an electrifying addition to the TV landscape. ABC praises the focus on the larger cast. "I like it when they're all together," says Steve McPherson, president of ABC Entertainment. Maybe Lost can never be a phenomenon again, but Lindelof stresses the show's continued strength among viewers in the 18-to-49 age group. It ranks No. 5 in that group, and ABC bases its business on those viewers. Lost has kept fans mystified, but Lindelof explains the strategy behind the storytelling. The first season was an introduction, the second was about the hatch, and season three is about the Others. He doesn't want to talk about season four but says the plan is for season five to wrap up the saga. "At the end of season four, we will have produced 93 hours," Lindelof says. "I imagine that would be very close to where it would end." The issue becomes whether Disney-owned ABC will be willing to part with a still-popular show. The Walt Disney Co. could make millions on a series likely to play better on DVD in marathon viewings. The ABC schedule, however, might need a show that remains No. 8 in total viewers this season. Lindelof speaks forcefully for the five-year plan for the series. He says producers don't want Lost to drag on the way The X-Files did. He talks like a disappointed fan in recalling how The X-Files struggled on even without the foundation of skeptic Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) and believer Fox Mulder (David Duchovny). Lindelof zeros in so clearly on The X-Files that maybe he can clear up a central mystery: What is Lost about? "This show is about people who are metaphorically lost in their lives who get on an airplane and crash on an island and become physically lost on the planet Earth," he says. "Once they are able to metaphorically find themselves in their lives again, they will be able to physically find themselves in the world. When you look at the entire show, that's what it will look like, that's what it's been about." OK, but will that bring back disappointed fans? |
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Popular Disney Characters Embossed on Live Roses Make
for a Magical Valentines Day
Business Wire - Speaking Roses International, Inc. (OTCBB: SRII), the company that patented flower printing technology, today announced Disney Shopping has added Speaking Roses to its line of personalized merchandise available at www.disneyshopping.com, The Walt Disney Company’s Internet shopping portal. Just in time for Valentines Day, bouquets of red, white and pink roses embossed with images of Mickey Mouse, Tinker Bell, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White are now available for purchase only at www.disneyshopping.com. “Personalization is a key part of the DisneyShopping.com experience,” said David Barad, vice president of marketing for Disney Shopping, Inc. “Through Speaking Roses’ technology we can offer our guests new ways to identify with their favorite Disney characters and express their affection for loved ones.” “We’re excited to be aligned with a world class company that is recognized as the global leader in creating life long memories,” said Alan Farrell, Speaking Roses CEO. “We hope to add in our own unique way a touch of the Disney experience with beautiful roses.” Speaking Roses continues to grow its list of licensed products; included on this list are Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe and the Kentucky Derby. Speaking Roses products can be purchased online at www.speakingroses.com, or by calling 800-801-9855. About Speaking Roses International, Inc. With a unique, patented embossing technology, Speaking Roses is able to print customized messages, pictures, photographs and logos directly on flowers and plants without damaging them. This cutting edge technology allows customers to create a personalized gift for any occasion including personal gifts, weddings, funerals, corporate events and promotions. SRII has registered the patent in over 100 countries worldwide. Full-service floral shops are opening in the United States and internationally through the sale of area development rights, franchising opportunities and licensing arrangements. |
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Wal-Mart debuts movie download store
AP - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has launched its long-awaited online movie download store, entering a market that has yet to catch on with consumers but is expected to grow rapidly. A "beta" version of the online video store, which debuted Tuesday, sells digital versions of about 3,000 films and TV episodes from all the major studios and some TV networks, including Fox Broadcasting. Wal-Mart will not initially offer content from ABC, CBS or NBC, although the company said it hopes to add shows from those networks. The nation's largest retailer is using its buying power to beat the prices charged by other download services in many cases, offering films from $12.88 to $19.88 and individual TV episodes for $1.96 - 4 cents less than Apple Inc.'s iTunes store. Apple charges less for some films sold on iTunes - $12.99 when pre-ordered and during the first week of sale, or $14.99 afterward. But it only carries films from two studios, The Walt Disney Co. and Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Studios. Most studios have resisted signing deals with iTunes, in part because of Apple's desire to sell movies at one price. Studios prefer variable pricing such as Wal-Mart is offering. Apple's pricing has also caused scuffles between studios and major retailers, including Wal-Mart and Target Corp. The retailers don't want studios to sell digital copies of films cheaper than the wholesale price of physical DVDs. Wal-Mart's online store will sell older titles starting at $7.50, compared with the $9.99 charged by iTunes. Wal-Mart also used its significant clout to launch its online store with films from all major studios. The Bentonville, Ark., retailer accounts for about 40 percent of DVD sales, and studios have been careful not to anger their largest customer. Given Wal-Mart's importance, the studios readily agreed to sell films on the retailer's new site, analysts said. The biggest impact of Wal-Mart's entry into the digital download business may be that it now frees studios to cut deals with other online services. "It gets the ball rolling finally," said Tom Adams of Adams Media Research. "Now the studios are free to pursue it as aggressively as they can without worries about what Wal-Mart is going to think." Amazon Inc. launched its "Unbox" video rental and download store last year without films from Disney. Other online download and rental sites include Movielink, which is owned by five studios, and CinemaNow. Unlike some offerings, Wal-Mart will not rent films online. The films can be played on a PC or transferred to Microsoft Windows Media-compatible portable digital players. The movies will not play on Apple computers or the popular iPod. Movies bought from the Wal-Mart store also can't be burned onto a DVD, although the company said it hopes to offer the option by the end of the year. Wal-Mart says it doesn't expect digital sales to cannibalize its retail DVD business for many years. "Customers have a growing interest in downloading video content, but complementary and supplemental to buying content on DVD," said Kevin Swint, Wal-Mart's divisional manager for digital media. "With the health of the DVD business and coming high-definition formats, that business will remain quite strong for quite a long time." Internet downloading is expected to generate about $4 billion in annual revenue in five years, compared with an estimated $27 billion from DVD rentals and sales, according to Adams Media Research. Whether Wal-Mart can translate its success on the ground to the digital domain remains to be seen. Wal-Mart abandoned its efforts to build an online DVD rental service in 2005 to compete with the well-established Netflix Inc. The retailer also faces the same challenge that confounds other online video sellers - the fact films cannot be easily transferred from a computer to a larger TV screen. "The real problem is people want to watch these movies on their TV set," said principal analyst Josh Bernoff of Cambridge, Mass., company Forrester Research. "There already is an effective way to do that, which is to buy a DVD." |
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Colts Dungy, Rhodes Have Their Day in the Sun at
Disney World
WDW News - It was a blue blue day Wednesday at Walt Disney World Resort: sky blue and Indianapolis Colts blue. Two days after the launch of a television commercial showing Colts Coach Tony Dungy and running back Dominic Rhodes gleefully professing, "We're going to Disney World," they were in the Magic Kingdom for a hero's welcome celebrating their team's triumphant march to victory in Super Bowl XLI. Adoring fans lined Main Street, U.S.A. for a parade in which Dungy and Rhodes rode in a convertible while being showered with cheers and blue, red and silver streamers.
The television commercial in which Dungy and Rhodes appeared was the 37th installment of a series that is one of TV's longest-running spots. The first commercial, featuring New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms, aired in early 1987 following Super Bowl XXI. The catchy commercial created an immediate "buzz," partly due to the timeliness of the spot on the day after the Giants' victory and partly due to the genuine emotion of the triumphant moment captured in the spot. Since the first ad in 1987, stars from Major League Baseball, the NBA, NHL, Olympics, World Cup and more have been featured. While household names from professional sports have filled many commercials, there have been notable exceptions -- including Miss America and Santa Claus. But the Super Bowl remains the most popular of the "I'm going to Disney" spots, featuring champions and heroes from 20 NFL championship games. A common misconception is that the MVP of the Super Bowl automatically is chosen for the commercial. In fact, eight of the 20 Super Bowl spots have featured someone other than the MVP, bringing an additional element of surprise to the campaign. This year marked one of those occasions after Dungy became the first African American head coach to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy as Super Bowl champion, while Rhodes alone rushed for 113 yards -- against a Chicago Bears team that had yielded an average of 98.5 yards per game prior to Sunday -- and scored the touchdown that put the Colts ahead for keeps. |
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Disney Officially Announces Winter Wave of Blu-ray
Catalog
High-Def DVD Digest - Confirming street dates and specs for its winter Blu-ray line-up, Disney has unveiled details for four top catalog titles, including 'Chicken Little,' 'Finding Neverland,' 'King Arthur' and 'G.I. Jane.' As first announced during this year's Consumer Electronics Show, Disney will release 'Chicken Little' and 'Finding Neverland' on March 20, followed by 'G.I. Jane' and an expanded 'King Arthur: Director's Cut' two weeks later on April 3. Each will come with the standard 1080p video transfers and uncompressed PCM 5.1 surround tracks. Full codec details are not yet known; stay tuned for complete info to come. And continuing their impressive increase in Blu-ray bonus features, all four titles will come packed with supplements, including most if not all of the same extras as found on their standard-def DVD counterparts. Disney has set a list price of $34.95 a pop for the two waves of titles. |
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Disney's 'Belle' to share enchantments of reading
Orlando Sentinel - Princess Belle, the Disney character from the movie Beauty and the Beast, will visit children participating in the family fun literacy event "Pajama Night" at 6 p.m. today at the Fun and Learning Center, 2630 Martina Ave., Kissimmee. She will read fairy tales and focus on strengthening early literacy skills and promoting family literacy activities at home. Parents and their 4- and 5-year-olds can have dinner, make a reading bear and learn techniques intended to create a lifelong love of reading. School-holiday field trips The Kissimmee Parks and Recreation Department will offer activities for Osceola kindergartners through eighth-graders who are out of school Feb. 16 and March 19. The day includes supervised care from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., field trip transportation, admission and afternoon snacks. Students must bring a bagged lunch. On Feb. 16, students will go to Skate Reflections, 111 Dyer Blvd., Kissimmee, for $25. The registration deadline is 5 p.m. Feb. 15. Activities and fees for the March 19 have not yet been determined. The registration deadline is 5 p.m. March 15. Parents may drop off students at the Oak Street Park Community Center, 717 N. Palm Ave., Kissimmee, on both dates. Reservations can be made at the community center. Details: 407-847-2388 or kissimmeeparksandrec.com. Out-of-zone requests The out-of-zone transfer requests for high school "EEE" will be accepted from Feb. 19 to March 19, the same period for all other transfer requests. The forms for high school "EEE" should be sent to Denn John Middle School, 2001 Denn John Lane, Kissimmee. Details: 407-870-4897. Arts school meeting The Osceola County School for the Arts will have an informational meeting about the 2007-08 academic year at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the theater, 3151 N. Orange Blossom Trail, Kissimmee. The school is focused on accelerated pre-professional arts training and offers seven major courses of study in addition to a regular academic program for sixth- through 12th-graders. Students in sixth through eighth grade can apply for instrumental music or dance; others can apply for dance, creative writing, drama, instrumental music, technical theater, visual arts or vocal music. Admissions applications and program information will be available at the meeting. Applications also may be picked up at the school office, district office or downloaded at thearts.osceola.k12.fl.us. Details: 407-931-4803. OHS program showcase Parents and prospective students are invited to Osceola High School's program showcase at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the performing arts center, 420 S. Thacker Ave., Kissimmee. The meeting will include information on the school's academic and career programs, such as Advanced Placement, pre-engineering and the aviation academy. It will also have information on dual enrollment, in which students can earn more than 60 college credit hours and enter college as juniors with an associate's degree already in hand. Refreshments will be provided by culinary arts students. PATHS applications The Professional and Technical High School (PATHS) is accepting applications for 2007-08. Applicants must take the Test of Adult Basic Education and complete an application in student services, 501 Simpson Road, Kissimmee. The deadline is April 30. Details: 407-344-5080. 'Reading Rocks' Lakeview Elementary, 2900 Fifth St., St. Cloud, will present "Reading Rocks" from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday. It will include family entertainment and reading with poetry, a book fair, games and prizes. Details: 407-891-3220. Math Night St. Cloud Elementary's School Advisory Committee and the Orlando Science Center will have "Math Night" from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the cafeteria, 2701 Corporate Campus Way, St. Cloud. All stations will have activities for parents and students to explain math concepts and review for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. Join rezoning committee Kissimmee Middle School needs three parents to serve on the school's rezoning committee. Valentine's Dance The Narcoossee Community School PTO will have a middle school Valentine's Dance from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday in the cafeteria, 2700 N. Narcoossee Road, St. Cloud. 'Building Better Readers' Narcoossee Community School will present a "Families Building Better Readers" at 6 p.m. Feb. 15 to teach parents strategies to help children succeed in reading. Tutoring available Tutoring is available to all Osceola High students in Room 107 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Subjects include English, reading, science, math, social studies and FCAT preparation. Science Fair winners The winners of the Hickory Tree Elementary Annex's annual fourth- and fifth-grade science fair: First place: Cheyanne Napier, fourth grade, and Andy Mayse, fifth grade. Second place: Danie Hallett, fourth grade, and Kyle Covell, fifth grade. Third place: Lauren Bechard, fourth grade, and Allison King, fifth grade. Box Tops for Education Poinciana Elementary, 4201 Rhododendron Ave., is collecting box tops for the Box Tops for Education program. Cereal box tops can be sent to the school to the attention of Alison Slayton. |
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Disney Adds Two to London TV Sales Team
Animation Magazine - Buena Vista International Television (BVITV), the Walt Disney Co.'s international TV distribution arm, has appointed Dayna Donaldson and Simon Barwick to its London-based EMEA TV sales team. Donaldson has been named sales director for the Nordic region, responsible for free TV, pay TV and digital media business in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. Meanwhile Barwick will serve as senior sales manager for the U.K. and Ireland region. His employment is effectively immediately and Donaldson will join the team at the end of March. Both will report to Catherine Powell, BVITV's VP of sales for U.K. and Ireland, Nordic, Benelux and Israel. Donaldson was previously head of sales for Minotaur International, one of the U.K.'s largest distributors of multi-channel programming. There she headed the sales team responsible for licensing programming produced for the five Flextech Channels and independent production companies such as SMG, LaPlante Prods., Kudos, TwoFour and Shine, and was responsible for all sales to the Americas. Before that, she was VP of distribution for Hypnotic in New York. Barwick movies up from the role of finance director at BVITV, in which he was responsible for commercial and financial strategy across the Asia-Pacific region. He originally began his media career with BVITV's London-based finance team in 1998, before moving on to stints at such international broadcasters as BSkyB in the U.K. and Foxtel in Australia. BVITV manages the pay TV, free TV, pay-per-view, video-on-demand and mobile licensing of Disney's filmed entertainment. The branch covers feature films from Walt Disney Pictures and Touchstone Pictures, as well as Disney-produced animated and live action series, and also services the distribution of the Jetix Europe portfolio of programming. |
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Tuesday February 6, 2007 |
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Deadlines appear less critical online
Earnings Preview: Walt Disney Disney says not in talks on Bahrain park
Saudi
prince pushing for Disney park
Colts Dungy and Rhodes Star in 'Going to Disney World' Commercial The year of the Mouse and Fox Zemeckis Sets Up Animation Shop at Disney
Disney launches free online 'Pirates' game
Mickey & Minnie come to Milwaukee for "Magical Journey" Disney hopes to hit the tween jackpot again Disney Movies on iTunes Sets Records Narnia Exhibit at Disney's MGM-Studios Closing Disney presents the opportunity of a lifetime 2007 Star Wars Weekend Dates Released |
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Deadlines appear less critical online LA Times - Walt Disney Co.'s commitment of late to new technology has boosted the company's stock and earned Chief Executive Robert Iger a reputation as a far-seeing leader in a hidebound industry. Now for the downside. At his keynote speech during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last month, Iger's big splash was the overhaul of the stodgy and outdated Disney.com. Iger promised that by late January, the world would see an innovative site that visitors could customize in myriad ways. The preview he gave showed supervised online chatting, immersive multiplayer games and content that adapted to the age of the visitor. But, the Burbank-based company's site was not updated until late Monday night. Until then, a blurb in the middle of the page declared: "Look for the new Disney.com, coming soon!" For a company used to releasing movies and television shows on strict deadlines, it was an unwelcome introduction to the over-promising, under-delivering world of high technology, where a week's delay is trivial. Microsoft Corp.'s new Vista operating system, after all, shipped more than two years after its promised arrival date. And Yahoo Inc.'s revamped system for placing ads near Web searches was re-rescheduled to go into effect Monday, two months after it was due. "If it's a dramatic change, those dates are usually missed," said veteran technology pundit Rob Enderle. Even then, he said, it's unusual to miss a date given out just weeks earlier. One possible source of last-minute delay, Enderle speculated, was the initial Jan. 29 presentation to Disney's board of directors, which now includes the famously critical Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs. "Jobs typically will reject anything the first time around. That's how he marks his territory," Enderle said. "He even sends his food back three times." Iger said in a Jan. 30 interview with the Financial Times that after the board presentation, Jobs had given "quite valuable" feedback. Disney spokesman John Spelich declined to elaborate earlier Monday — or for that matter acknowledge a delay. "We're launching imminently," Spelich said, "and we're well within the time frame we envisioned when we made the reveal" in Las Vegas. |
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Earnings
Preview: Walt Disney AP - Walt Disney to See 1Q Boost From Film, Broadcasting, "Pirates," but Cable Could Lag The Walt Disney Co.reports earnings for the fiscal first quarter after market close Wednesday. The following is a summary of key developments and analyst opinion related to the period. OVERVIEW: The diversified entertainment company makes movies, consumer products, owns the ESPN and ABC television networks and also owns theme parks. The company in November posted fourth-quarter earnings that beat analyst expectations, but investors sent shares down, partly due to concerns that a strong 2006 would be hard to match in 2007. Disney during the quarter said it partnered with Indian company Jaipuria Group to sell its products in India as part of efforts to expand its presence in one of the world's fastest growing markets. At the end of November, Comcast Corp. and Disney signed a multibillion-dollar distribution deal that allows the cable operator to distribute Disney content through its video-on-demand service. In addition, Comcast agreed to buy Disney's 39.5 percent stake in the E! Entertainment Television channel for $1.23 billion, to add to Comcast's existing 60 percent stake. Disney's ABC is currently the second-most popular network on television, but General Electric Co.'s NBC is threatening the perch, according to 19 weeks of data from Nielsen Media Research. The company at the end of December said it posted worldwide box office sales of at least $3.26 billion in 2006. The figure was led by "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," the second film in the successful franchise, which accounted for more than $1 billion in worldwide sales. BY THE NUMBERS: Analysts polled by Thomson Financial are expecting Disney to post earnings of 39 cents per share on $9.53 billion in sales. ANALYST TAKE: Lehman Brothers analyst Vijay Jayant in a client note said it's likely that the film and broadcasting segments will carry the quarter for Disney. The cable networks division was held back by revenue deferrals, while comparisons to a year-ago period for the parks segment are difficult, according to Jayant. In addition, slowing consumer products sales could hurt results, he wrote. The analyst has an "Equal Weight" rating on shares, and lifted his target price to $35 from $33. STOCK PERFORMANCE: Shares have traded between $24.90 to $35.97 in the past 52 weeks and are up about 41 percent in the same period. The stock rose about 11 percent in the October to December period. |
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Disney says not in talks on Bahrain park Reuters - Walt Disney Co. denied on Tuesday that it is in talks to build a theme park in Bahrain, following a newspaper report saying Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal was negotiating to build an $8 billion Disney park in the heart of the world's biggest oil exporting region. The project purportedly would be based on Disney's (NYSE:DIS) theme parks and could be called "Disney Bahrain," Bahrain's al-Waqt newspaper said, citing an unnamed source. But a Disney spokeswoman said the company "is not in talks to build a theme park in Bahrain." Alwaleed, the world's eighth-richest man, is talking to investors including Kuwait Finance House (Kuwait:KFIN.KW), the Gulf's second largest Islamic bank by market value, and Bahraini institutions, the paper said. Alwaleed indirectly owns 10 percent of Disneyland Paris operator Euro Disney (Paris:EDLP.PA), and his Rotana Audio Visual Co., signed a deal in November to distribute Walt Disney products across the Middle East and North Africa. A spokeswoman for the prince could not be reached for comment. A spokesman for Kuwait Finance House in Bahrain declined to either confirm or deny the report. A spokeswoman for Bahrain's Economic Development Board and a spokesman for the state-owned Mumtalakat Holding Company said they had not heard of the deal. Disney has 11 theme parks worldwide and has said it wants to build one in Shanghai to tap growing wealth created by China's economic boom. |
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Saudi
prince pushing for Disney park bizjournal - The world's eighth-richest man is in talks with other investors to build a Disney theme park in Bahrain, according to a report from Bahrain's al-Waqt newspaper. Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is
leading the charge for the first Disney park in the
Middle East, which would have a price tag of $8 billion
and would be termed "Disney Bahrain." Kuwait Finance House, the second-largest Islamic bank in the Persian Gulf region by market value, is one of the potential investors cited in the report. Work on the park would begin in May and would take six years to complete, the report said. The report did not say whether Burbank's Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) was directly involved in the negotiations. |
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Colts Dungy and Rhodes Star in 'Going to Disney World'
Commercial WDW News - Head Coach Tony Dungy and running back Dominic Rhodes of the Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts Sunday night became the latest sports celebrities to realize a dream, stand in front of a TV camera, and shout the famous "going to Disney World" phrase. Their "We're going to Disney World" pronouncement, part of the production for one of TV's most enduring and celebrated commercials, was captured Sunday night on tape at Miami's Dolphin Stadium just moments after the Colts' 29-17 victory over the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI. Dungy became the first African American head coach to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy as Super Bowl champion, while Rhodes rushed for a game-leading 113 yards and a second- quarter touchdown that put the Colts ahead for keeps. The commercial -- which also includes a Disneyland version for the West Coast -- is the 37th of a series that began in 1987 following Super Bowl XXI. The first "I'm going to Disney World" commercial, featuring New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms, was regarded as a groundbreaking concept -- a produced national commercial involving a current event, airing on major networks hours after the event. And this latest installment is to follow a similar script, airing Feb. 5. Dungy and Rhodes join a lineup of sports heroes such as Tom Brady, Emmitt Smith, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Joe Montana, John Elway, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Doug Williams, Magic Johnson, Patrick Roy and Super Bowl XL star Hines Ward who have been featured during two decades of "I'm going to Disney World" commercials. |
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The year of the
Mouse and Fox CNNMoney.com - So far, 2007 is looking an awfully lot like last year for major media companies. Walt Disney and News Corp. were two of the best performing media stocks in 2006 thanks to strong ratings for their broadcast and cable networks as well as big box office sales from their movie divisions. News Corp's stock shot up 35 percent last year while shares of Disney surged 44 percent. Disney's stock is up nearly 3 percent so far this year while shares of News Corp. are up 9 percent. Both stocks are trading just a touch below their 52-week highs. Disney owns ABC and ESPN and the Buena Vista movie studio, which had big hits with the second movie in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" trilogy as well as "Cars," the computer animated movie produced by Pixar, which Disney bought last year. News Corp. owns the Fox television network, which won the ratings battle for 18-49 year-olds for the second season in a row thanks to its runaway hit "American Idol," the Fox News cable channel and the Fox movie studio, which released box office blockbusters "X-Men: The Last Stand," "Night at the Museum", and "Ice Age: The Meltdown." The two media giants are set to report their latest quarterly results on February 7. And analysts expect both companies to post strong numbers. According to estimates from Thomson First Call, Wall Street expects Disney to report fiscal first-quarter sales of $9.55 billion, up 8 percent from a year ago, and earnings per share of 39 cents, an increase of 11 percent. News Corp. is expected to report fiscal second-quarter revenue of $7.4 billion, 11 percent higher than the same period last year, and earnings of 26 cents per share, up 24 percent. Alan Gould, an analyst with Natexis Bleichroeder, said that Disney and News Corp. should benefit from healthy DVD sales during the holidays. Disney released a DVD of "Cars" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" during the quarter while Fox released "X-Men: The Last Stand" and "Ice Age: The Meltdown" during the quarter. Gould added that Disney also should see a boost thanks to solid ratings on ABC as well as on ESPN, which broadcast "Monday Night Football" games during this past football season. News Corp.'s broadcast business may have had a rough quarter since Fox did not do well in the prime-time ratings race during the fall. But Gould said most investors will probably overlook that since "American Idol" returned to the Fox lineup in January and its season premieres had record-ratings. That bodes well for the company's fiscal third-quarter, which ends in March. "Ratings in December for Fox were not good. But people won't overly dwell on that given the ratings for 'American Idol,'" he said. "Investors will look forward." David Joyce, an analyst with Miller + Tabak & Co., added that News Corp. also should experience strong growth in its cable TV business this year since cable companies will be paying increased rates to carry Fox News this year. Still, both companies could face some tough comparisons this year, particularly in their movie studio divisions since they each had their fair share of blockbusters in 2006. Laura Martin, an analyst with Soleil -- Media Metrics, said Disney should be able to hold up well though since it has the third "Pirates" movie coming out this summer as well as another Pixar film, called "Ratatouille." Disney has the added burden, however, of trying to match strong results from its theme park division last year. The theme parks business, which accounted for about 30 percent of sales and nearly a quarter of operating profits in its last fiscal year, benefited from the continuation of an eighteen month-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the opening of Disneyland. Special events tied to the event took place at all of Disney's parks beginning in May 2005 and running throughout last year. But for both companies, investors may be most interested in their burgeoning online media businesses. Traditional media companies are finding that they are increasingly competing with the likes of Google, Yahoo! and other online media firms for viewers and advertising dollars. Other big media companies are fighting back online though. Time Warner, which reported fourth-quarter earnings last week, said that online advertising sales from its AOL unit surged 49 percent from a year ago. (Time Warner also owns CNNMoney.com) Disney and News Corp., however, are widely acknowledged to be among the most aggressive when it comes to embracing digital media. Disney was the first major media firm to partner with Apple. The company now sells TV shows and movies through Apple's popular iTunes store. "The relationship with Apple and willingness to adapt to new technologies is key for Disney," said Martin. And for News Corp., which acquired the parent company of the popular social networking site MySpace in 2005, this should be the year when the company sees its investment in digital media really begin to pay off. MySpace struck an ad partnership with Google last year in which Google will pay MySpace a minimum of $900 million over the next few years. As such, Gould said that he believes Fox Interactive Media, the division that MySpace is a part of, could generate $500 million in sales this fiscal year, which ends in June, and $750 million in revenue in fiscal 2008. With all this in mind, analysts said both stocks still looked fairly attractive since they are trading at valuations that are roughly in line with their peers. Disney trades at about 20 times earnings estimates for this fiscal year, which ends in September, while News Corp. trades at 22.5 times fiscal 2007 earnings estimates. By way of comparison, media rivals Time Warner and Viacom trade at about 21 times 2007 earnings estimates. "Disney is not yet priced to perfection. I still think there is upside," said Joyce. "And News Corp. is a fairly solid stock that, on a percentage basis, could even have more upside than Disney." |
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Zemeckis Sets Up Animation Shop at Disney Walt Disney Studios - The multi award-winning team of Robert Zemeckis, Jack Rapke and Steve Starkey join forces with The Walt Disney Studios to set-up a new performance capture film company, it was jointly announced by Dick Cook, chairman, The Walt Disney Studios and producer/director Robert Zemeckis. The company will create films using the performance capture technology, a technique of digitally recording actors' movements that are fed into a computer allowing for the development of state-of-the-art 3D motion pictures. Zemeckis, Rapke and Starkey will produce all of the films with Zemeckis expected to direct a number of the projects. The Walt Disney Studios will distribute and market the motion pictures worldwide. In making the announcement Cook said, "The creation of this new company is yet another step in our leadership role in cutting edge technology as it relates to the movie industry." Cook continued, "Bob is an amazing director who continues to push the envelope in creating the best in cinematic experiences. Along with his partners, Jack and Steve, they are one of the finest producing teams in the business. They have a real pulse on the future of motion pictures especially as it pertains to the creativity and technology of motion capture and 3D film experiences. They are true leaders in every sense of the word and we are proud to be partners with them in this new endeavor." Zemeckis added, "Jack, Steve and I are looking forward with great excitement to be working with Dick Cook and his team. In addition to being an enthusiastic champion of 3D movies, The Walt Disney Studios is committed to the advancement of digital cinema in all areas including performance capture." Zemeckis, along with executive producing partner Rapke and producer Starkey, first used this innovative film technology of performance capture when he directed the highly successful animated feature film "Polar Express." Following up on the success of "Polar Express," Zemeckis was executive producer on his second performance capture film, the Academy Award-nominated Best Animated Film "Monster House," with Rapke and Starkey producing. Additionally, Zemeckis is directing and producing the performance capture film, "Beowulf," with Rapke and Starkey also producing. The film is due out in theaters in 2007. Among some of their other credits are: "Castaway" -- Zemeckis director and producer and Rapke and Starkey producers; "What Lies Beneath" -- Zemeckis director and producer and Rapke and Starkey producers; "Contact" -- Zemeckis director and producer and Starkey producer; "Forrest Gump" -- Zemeckis received an Academy Award for Best Director and Starkey was awarded the Best Picture Oscar for his role as producer; "Back to the Future" trilogy -- Zemeckis directed and Starkey served as associate producer on part 2 and 3 and "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" -- Zemeckis directed and Starkey was associate producer. |
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CINDERELLA III: A Twist In Time on DVD Buena Vista Home Entertainment - Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo! Disney's original classic continues with an all-new twist in Cinderella III: A Twist In Time, an all-new movie premiering on Disney DVD, and available for a limited time only. Featuring all the magic and wondrous spirit of Walt's original "Cinderella," this new, spellbinding story takes a daringly different turn. When the Fairy Godmother's magic wand falls into the wrong hands, the glass slipper no longer fits Cinderella! Instead, her evil stepsister Anastasia is slated to marry Prince Charming! But with her loyal mice friends, Gus and Jaq by her side, Cinderella is determined to make things right again.
All your favorite characters return in this all-new movie. Cinderella is joined by the delightful mice duo Gus and Jaq. Lady Tremaine the evil Stepmother once again menaces Cinderella, accompanied by her deliciously horrible daughters Anastasia and Drizella and their wicked cat Lucifer. Prince Charming returns with the King, and the Grand Duke, and of course there is the beloved Fairy Godmother. Exciting bonus features including the end credit song and video for "I Still Believe" by rising actor/singer Hayden Panettiere (Heroes), and a "Bibbidi Bobbidi Choose" game, where players can put the Fairy Godmother's wand in the hands of different characters from the movie, including Gus and Jaq. "Cinderella's Ballroom" DVD Rom invites viewers to enter Cinderella's ballroom and discover a world of beautiful gowns, music and dance. There, players can choreograph different ballroom dances, try out different gowns, import printable photos to turn themselves into a princess or royal court member, dance to the Princess jukebox, print Princess party invitations for their own Princess Ball and more. Filled with enchanting new songs and spectacular animation, Cinderella III: A Twist In Time is magical entertainment for the whole family. Available on February 6, 2007 for U.S. $29.99 (SRP), Canada $36.99 (SRP) from Walt Disney Home Entertainment. Written by Steve Bencich, Ron J. Friedman, Eddie Guzman, Margaret Heidenry, Robert Reece, Colleen Millea Ventimilla. Directed by Frank Nissen ("Pooh's Heffalump Movie"). |
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Disney's New Draw The Motley Fool - No, Disney (NYSE: DIS) is never too proud when it comes to forging creative alliances. Yesterday, the family-entertainment giant announced that it will team up with Hollywood producer/director Robert Zemeckis to help champion performance-capture technology in theatrical animation. Unlike the computer-rendered fare that has carved out a cozy living for Disney's Pixar and rival DreamWorks Animation (NYSE: DWA), performance capture involves live actors donning sensors to help create a truer depiction of humans in animated films. If you caught Time Warner's (NYSE: TWX) The Polar Express three years ago and were bedazzled by the inked likeness of Tom Hanks, then you've already seen the handiwork of Zemeckis in this space. Unfortunately, the movie didn't necessarily vindicate the medium. It proved to be a big hit for IMAX (Nasdaq: IMAX) in its bigger-than-life 3D incarnation, but it took in just $163 million domestically at the box office. That normally wouldn't be too shabby, but the company was handily topped that year by Pixar's The Incredibles and DreamWorks Animation's Shrek 2. New animation tricks are never enough to carry a film. You need a good story to tell, and you need to tell it well. A Scanner Darkly was one of last year's biggest flops, raking in just $7.7 million in ticket sales worldwide. The flick tried its hand at rotoscoping, in which live action is filmed and then animated over. Yes, it's the same process that Charles Schwab (Nasdaq: SCHW) used in those creepy television commercials last year. The rotoscoping revival, an animation trend that was also popular in a few 1980s New Wave music videos (think A-Ha's "Take on Me"), isn't doing so well in its more lifelike form. Zemeckis has held up better with performance capture technology. Beyond The Polar Express, he also crafted Sony's (NYSE: SNE) Monster House last summer. Given Zemeckis's studio-hopping ways, one can even argue that Disney playing nice with Zemeckis is a move to keep the acclaimed producer and director close. There's nothing wrong with that. Capturing performance capture? That's the name of the game. |
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Kingdom Hearts Series Ships Over 10 Million Worldwide
Square Enix, Inc. - Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of Square Enix interactive entertainment products in North America, and Buena Vista Games, Inc., the interactive entertainment affiliate of The Walt Disney Company announced today that their KINGDOM HEARTS series of action role-playing games has shipped more than 10 million units worldwide, making it one of the top game series in the world. Released to chart-topping sales in 2006, KINGDOM HEARTS II is the sequel to KINGDOM HEARTS, one of the top ten best-selling PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system titles of all time in North America (Source: The NPD Group, March 2006). "When we first started developing KINGDOM HEARTS, we never imagined we would pass the 10 million mark so quickly," said series producer Shinji Hashimoto. "We are delighted and extremely grateful for the support from our fans around the globe. We hope to continue to provide games which fulfill your anticipation in the future." The KINGDOM HEARTS series was created by the collaboration of Disney's Buena Vista Games and Square Enix in 2002. With two titles for the PlayStation 2 system and one title for the Game Boy® Advance, the KINGDOM HEARTS games see the player stepping into the shoes of the heroic Sora, who adventures alongside favorite Disney characters. The KINGDOM HEARTS series also features theme songs performed by international recording artist Hikaru Utada. |
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Wal-Mart, Whole Foods, Disney aim to protect the seas CNN Money - Remember The Marvellettes' song, "Too Many Fish in the Sea?" Well, there aren't. Off New England, a centuries-old tradition of cod fishing is pretty much over. Blue fin tuna are severely overfished, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch. Worse - a study published last fall in the journal, Science, warned of a "global collapse" of all wild seafood by mid-century if fishing continues at its current pace. No wonder I couldn't decide what to order when pondering the menu at M&S Grill, a seafood restaurant in downtown Washington, D.C. Fortunately, my companions - Michael Boots and Stephanie Faison of the Seafood Choices Alliance - were available to provide guidance. They work with companies including retailers Wal-Mart and Whole Foods Market, theme park operator Walt Disney and distributor Sysco, as well as fishermen and fish farmers, to promote seafood consumption in ways that will protect catch for the future. "We're trying to build a market for a greener seafood industry," Boots said. More about that in a moment, but first there's lunch. Shrimp? "We don't know if that's domestic U.S. shrimp or if it's being farmed somewhere where it's harming the environment," said Faison. Farmed shrimp from Southeast Asia can pollute the seas. Atlantic salmon? "It's farmed because there's no wild Atlantic salmon left," Boots said. "And it's generally farmed in open net pens, and there are a bunch of issues with that." Swordfish? Not if they're caught by unregulated foreign fleets, and we won't even get into the health issues raised by mercury contamination. Joked Boots: "Order the chicken, that's what we do." Catfish and tilapia are good choices, he said. They're vegetarian fish, and they're farmed in closed ponds that don't pollute the ocean. Bay scallops, farmed or wild, are said to be a sustainable resource. Wild salmon from Alaska come from a well-managed fishery. The issue, obviously, is complicated. Some people see fish farming as a solution; others call it an environmental menace. A British supermarket chain owned by Wal-Mart just stopped selling monkfish because of destructive catching methods, but it's still on the menu in many restaurants. As a trade association that brings together green groups and business, Seafood Choices Alliance would like consumers to make what they call "the ocean-plate connection" - that is, to be aware that their choices have environmental consequences. The group also targets chefs and restaurants because, according to Boots, more fish in the U.S. is eaten in restaurants than prepared at home. Increasingly, business is grappling with the issue. At a convention last week, Seafood Choices gave an award to Peter Redmond, who is coordinating Wal-Mart's effort to buy and promote seafood caught from fisheries certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council, or MSC. Unilever and the World Wildlife Federation started the MSC to set a global standard for well-managed fisheries. Less than 10 percent of the world's catch is currently certified as sustainable. Whole Foods promotes MSC-certified fish in its fresh fish department. Disney woke up to the issue when its plans to serve shark fin soup at a Hong Kong theme park set off an environmental firestorm. It appeased critics by taking the dish off its menus. Companies have good reason to worry about the oceans. No one wants to be targeted by NGOs. A small number of consumers have shown a preference for fish that can be certified as sustainable. And, in the long run, retailers and restaurants want to assure a plentiful and affordable supply of fish. As Wal-Mart's Redmond told me: "We have very altruistic goals and we have some very keen business goals as well." Historically, commercial fisherman and ecologists fought over fishing regulations, but they now frequently cooperate. The Nature Conservancy, best known for acquiring land to save it from development, recently purchased trawling permits from fisherman in central California, to protect the habitat of Moro Bay. Several years ago, McDonald's brought in Conservation International, a nonprofit committed to protecting biodiversity, to assess fishing practices in its supply chain. As for lunch, the scallops were tasty - and guilt-free, too. |
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Disney launches free online 'Pirates' game Reuters - Disney Online will offer the legions of fans who have flocked to see Captain Jack Sparrow in cinemas a chance to star in an original videogame adventure for free with Pirates of the Caribbean Online.
The massively multiplayer online game, slated to
launch in the spring in conjunction with the 25 May
worldwide cinema release of Pirates of the Caribbean:
At World's End, will bypass retail and be available
via a free download at PiratesOnline.com.
The game takes place in an alternate universe, with a new story arc that introduces Jolly Roger as a nemesis. Players must help Sparrow get his crew back together to find the Black Pearl and restore order. The story line will span hundreds of hours of gameplay, and Disney Online will launch free expansions for the game every two to three months. Disney Online is selling advertising for this version of the game. There will be no ads or product placement within the game world, though. Disney Online will offer consumers two ways to play the game, both of which will include a free electronic download (there will be no retail PC box version of the game at launch). Gamers can choose to play the free version of the game, which will incorporate about one-third of the game world and content. Players who want to upgrade to the full Pirates Online experience will be charged a $9.95 (£5) monthly subscription, which offers such extras as more customization options and characters, and the ability to take part in tournaments and engage in player-to-player combat. All the actors from the film, including Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley, have granted Disney Online the use of their likenesses. The game will use voice-alikes for the original dialogue. The unique aspect of the online world is that after players design their own playable avatar, film characters such as Sparrow, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann will appear in cut scenes with the player's avatar, putting the gamer in the film experience. Steve Parkis, vice president of premium content at Disney Online, said Disney regards this MMO game as the backbone of the franchise, because the game will expand and evolve for years, well beyond the release of the films and DVDs. Although there are more than 100 MMO games in the global marketplace, only one, Blizzard's World of Warcraft, has truly crossed over to the mass market, with more than 8 million paying subscribers. |
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On Milwaukee - Mickey and Minnie Mouse scamper to
Brew City this week for an action-packed ice production,
"Mickey & Minnie's Magical Journey." The ice spectacular
plays at the US Cellular Arena, Feb. 7-11. OnMilwaukee.com recently met up with the star of the
show, Mickey Mouse, for an afternoon of cheese and
conversation.
OMC: Wow. Sounds like you're on quite a journey. And
we understand everyone in Milwaukee is invited along.
What can they expect? OMC: And somehow all on the ice -- that IS magical!
So what is the best part about being Mickey Mouse? OMC: Is there one last thing you'd like to say to the
kids? |
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Disney hopes to hit the tween jackpot again globeandmail.com - Actors crowded the waiting room one recent winter day at Disney Channel's headquarters. Some paced nervously, a few checked watches. There was little talk. They were ready to audition for roles in this summer's TV movie High School Musical 2, jobs that would make them instantly recognizable to millions of preteens. Behind a wooden doorway, Disney Channel executives were working to keep the magic after launching one of the biggest entertainment phenomena of 2006. "We have seen clearly what our audience responds to," said Gary Marsh, Disney Channel's entertainment president. "The challenge is not to fall into the trap of taking the easy way out and making the same kind of thing." It's not that people aren't watching closely. When Disney posted 10 questions on its website last month asking fans to influence what was in the High School Musical sequel -- things like choosing which dessert Zeke buys for Sharpay and which Hannah Montana star should appear in the movie -- more than 27 million votes were cast in 20 days. The success of High School Musical vaulted the Disney Channel into a tie with USA for top-rated cable network in prime time last year. The movie's soundtrack sold nearly four million copies in the U.S. and was the year's top-selling compact disc, even though you probably never heard songs like We're All in This Together unless you were a kid around 12 years old or a parent of one. The show has become a DVD hit in Canada, reaching third spot on Nielsen's video sales chart here; a live cast tour passed through Toronto last month. The 8.2 million people who watched the premiere of Jump In! in January -- starring High School Musical heartthrob Corbin Bleu as an aspiring jump-rope champion -- made it the top-rated TV movie premiere in the network's history. The Disney Channel's success wasn't sudden. It decided a decade ago to target tweens, realizing TV offered little to them. It was like the musical gulf between Barney and Eminem, said Rich Ross, the network's president. Girls came first. Disney recognized that competitors Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network had stronger appeal to boys, and the snarky tone of some of their hits could be countered with something parents and their children were more comfortable with. Through trial and error, including a failed mystery series, Disney determined that its audience preferred comedies to dramas. "Kids are going through a lot today, maybe more than ever," Ross said. "They want to smile and relax and laugh. Laughter is the antidote to a crazy world." Marsh believes there are five ingredients to a successful Disney Channel production. They should contain humour, optimism and depict real kids in real-life situations. They should tell an age-appropriate emotional story with situations preteens can relate to. And they should have navigational tools for life that kids can learn from, such as how to deal with a bully. Many of the Disney shows are aspirational, like Hannah Montana and its depiction of a girl living the dream of being a pop star. There's almost always music in a Disney production, something the kids can sing along to -- and buy with their allowance when they hear the songs again on Disney's radio station -- that won't send their parents screaming from the room. High School Musical squarely hits all of these targets. Marsh had been looking to make a full-scale musical, and producer Bill Borden sold his pitch in a single meeting: Think Grease meets Romeo & Juliet, with warring social cliques replacing warring families. "It was so clear to me the simplicity of the story would stand up with the music," Marsh said. That story had school basketball star Troy meeting beautiful brain Gabriella on vacation, where they bond over their secret love for singing. When Gabriella transfers to Troy's high school, they want to try out for the school musical together, but their friends try to keep them from crossing social barriers. Marsh knew he was onto something when applause broke out after snippets of film were shown to staff in development meetings. The High School Musical sequel is sure to be a major part of many kids' summers this year. Marsh said it will be set mostly in a country club and will explore different themes than the original, which was concerned with the youngsters' needs to express themselves. "The reality is we have a very clear brand," Marsh said. "The reason we have been successful is that we have been meticulous in reinforcing that in our content." |
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Disney
Movies on iTunes Sets Records PC Advisor - In just three short months of making their films available on on the Apple iTunes Music Store, Disney film sales have reached 1.3 million dollars. As Disney celebrates this joyous occasion brick and mortor store might not be so happy. Retailers, such as Target and Wal-Mart are a little concerned over the growing popularity of downloadable material. During the past year, Target had threatened to cut back signage and advertising for companies, like Disney, who were allowing their fils to be downloaded through iTunes or other downloading services. Wal-Mart also issued warnings of retaliation to companies by not purchasing as many products from them. Although CEO Bob Iger does not believe that downloadable films would take over the DVD business, he does understand the concerns of these retailers. However, he feels that Disney must be able to distribute content digitally. "If we don't put our content on these platforms, which the consumer has obviously embraced, other entities will create content and fill that void," said Iger. |
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Narnia Exhibit at Disney's MGM-Studios Closing WDW News - The Journey into Narnia exhibit at Disney-MGM Studios will cease operation on February 10, 2007. No word yet on what will replace it. |
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Disney presents the opportunity of a lifetime Daily Collegian - Walt Disney, the creator of animated classics such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Little Mermaid and the theme park Disneyworld located in Florida, is known for taking the magic of the movies and turning it into real life. It is in this world that college students can work for months at a time through the Disney College Program. It's a unique internship that can only be experienced at the wonderful world of Disney, open to anyone and everyone who loves Disney World and is willing to work hard. Getting a position in the program does not require a specific major, "it has more to do with your energy and personality," said Jen Parsons, a recent graduate of the University of Massachusetts, and a participant in the Disney College Program four years ago. The application process is much the same as any other job, starting with a paper application, followed by a viewing of a mandatory presentation either live or via the internet. After the presentation is viewed, the applicant must have an interview, in person or over the phone. "Most of the questions they ask are pretty standard questions - they throw in a couple very?Disney-esque questions though, like what we would do if a child asked if Mickey was real, or what we would do to make a child's dream vacation come true," said Jen of the interviewing process. After the application process is over, the applicant must wait a few weeks for their official invitation into the program. An applicant can choose from a variety of programs, each one lasting a different amount of time; the Culinary Program, the Spring and Fall semester Programs, the Quarter School Spring and Fall Programs, and the Spring and Fall Advantage Programs. During these times, there are a myriad of jobs a participant can apply for, including hospitality, life guarding, transportation, and vacation planner. Each job places a participant in a different area of Disney World, whether it is a park, one of the resorts or a mix with the participant traveling from one place to another. The working hours are specific to the park or resort in which the program participant works, and after a long day of work, they return home to one of three residential areas - Vista Way, the Commons, or Chatham Square. Apartment buildings are split according to age, and each apartment is unique and supplied with amenities, including a fully furnished apartment, high speed internet, cable TV, swimming pools and hot tubs. The rent, which varies depending on the living area, is taken out of the participant's paycheck each week, so there is no need to worry about paying your rent on time. The benefits of this program are countless. A participant's employee badge will get them into any of the parks for free, which allows the participants to fully appreciate the world in which they work. There are also many classes offered that can be used for college credit. The Web site provides a list of majors that are commonly seen as part of the Disney College Program and some aspects of the program that specifically benefit those majors. Also, after a participant finishes their first term as part of the Disney College Program, they can return to the program in another position, or apply for professional internships, which are only available to those who have completed the Disney College Program. "This experiential-learning opportunity will provide an unparalleled enhancement to a participant's academic and professional career," claims the program's Web site. There are other, more personal benefits to the participants. "When you are a guest [at Disney], you're there on a schedule - you know what you want to see, you see it, and you have to leave" said Jen. "As a cast member, you get to learn and see and do everything there is to do, because you have so much time and unlimited access to the parks all the time." The Web site boasts that their participants develop many different skills in areas such as guest services, problem solving, communication, teamwork, time management, responsibility and cultural sensitivity, all of which are important skills and knowledge for today's young adults to have. Participants also learn valuable lessons about money management and living on his or her own. Jen says she would recommend this program to everyone who, "loves kids and is willing to live 'la vie boheme' for a few months - the money gets tight." Not only do participants take away valuable life experiences, but they make lifelong memories and friends. "I loved working there" says Jen. "It was the best decision I ever made. You can learn to appreciate and see the parks through the eyes of the children you see every day. You have the power to make someone's vacation just by showing them a character they've always dreamed of - it's a different kind of magic, but its better." |
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2007
Star Wars Weekend Dates Released WDW News - Once again, the power of the Force and the magic of Disney combine for the family-friendly fan-fest, scheduled for four consecutive weekends, beginning June 1, 2007 and running through June 24, 2007, at Disney's MGM Studios. The event includes special parades, trivia games, meet-and-greet sessions with Star Wars legends and characters and special themed activities. The weekend festivities take place on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and are included with regular theme park admission. |
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World of Disney NY Honors Bridge to Terabithia
WDW News - In honor of the release Bridge to Terabithia, World of Disney New York City is bringing the magical world of Terabithia to life with an exclusive, in-store event. Stars Josh and Anna Sophia will be at the store for a meet and greet and autograph signing from 12:30 until 1:30pm on Saturday, Feb. 10. |
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Buena Vista Television Taps Brightcove for Internet
Video Syndication of Promotional Content PR Newswire - Brightcove, the Internet TV pioneer, and Buena Vista Television, the domestic television distribution division of The Walt Disney Company, today announced that Buena Vista Television will use Brightcove to publish online promotional content for its popular slate of television programming. Taking advantage of the surge in home broadband adoption, Buena Vista Television will use Internet video distribution to increase awareness and drive consumer tune-in for its first-run and off-net programming. The distribution initiative will leverage Brightcove syndication services to give websites the ability to quickly embed program-specific promotional content. Brightcove television services give Buena Vista Television the ability to centralize management of daily video updates. "We are excited to be working with Buena Vista Television, a leader in the syndication business with a prized store of some of the most popular programs airing on television today," said Jeremy Allaire, chairman and chief executive officer, Brightcove. "With Brightcove, Buena Vista Television will have the opportunity to leverage the rapidly changing media landscape to reach new audiences and drive viewership in a managed and controlled way." Initially, Buena Vista Television will use Brightcove to highlight its popular television programming such as "Live with Regis and Kelly," "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" and "Ebert & Roeper." |
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| Back News |
Friday
afternoon, he was released on $8,500 bond after, police
say, his roommates discovered child pornography in his
room and called the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
"I've
had the ink test dated. I've had the paper test dated.
The ink tests to the mid 1920's," he said.
If
you don't already know her, Kim's a teenage superhero—in
the vein of Buffy Summers, Sydney Bristow and Veronica
Mars—who battles nefarious villains like Professor
Dementor and Dr. Drakken, alongside best friend Ron
Stoppable and his naked mole rat Rufus. 
Dungy
and Rhodes also participated in a brief game of
football in the shadows of Cinderella Castle with a
group of children who normally participate in NFL
Youth Football leagues around Central Florida. For the
first time in history, a football field was
constructed on Main Street, U.S.A. near the theme
park's gleaming royal icon to accommodate the fun. 
The story starts one year after Cinderella and Prince
Charming have been happily married, when the evil
Stepmother steals the Fairy Godmother's wand! In her
very wrong hands, the Stepmother turns back time, and
transforms the glass slipper so that it fits her jealous
daughter Anastasia instead. It's up to Cinderella and
her friends to un-do the Stepmother's plans and get
things back as they should be. 
Mickey Mouse: My ice skates, of course! Ya see, me
and Minnie and the gang are skatin' our way around the
country and thought it'd be fun to visit all our pals in
Milwaukee again. So, here we are! Hiya Milwaukee!