COMCAST Proposes to buy TWDC

[stale32441]

Check this out guys...



http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=&e=2&u=/ap/20040211/ap_on_bi_ge/comcast_disney

Fire up your keyboards, this one will drive 'em out:lol:

 

[andromedaslove]

I can not read the link that you posted. However, I know what you are referring to. I am not sure what to think about this. As far as cable television I HATE Comcast, we switched to satellite after only dealing with them for a couple of months. However, one of the gentlemen involved with this merger named Stephen Burke had some interesting things to say. One of the things that caught my attention was this comment:

On Comcast's conference call, Steve Burke, the head of the company's cable division, told investors that Comcast believed it could greatly improve the performance of several of Disney's key businesses, including ABC, the ABC Family channel, animation and theme parks.

"We think job one is restoring the company to its previous levels of profitability," said Burke, who had previously worked at Disney for 12 years.

From the Site of the Comcast Corporation:

Prior to joining Comcast, Burke served with The Walt Disney Company as President of ABC Broadcasting. In that role, he was responsible for the 10 ABC-owned television stations; the ABC Radio Group, consisting of 27 radio stations and eight radio networks; and Buena Vista Television, the company's domestic syndication arm.

Burke joined The Walt Disney Company in January 1986, where he helped to develop and found The Disney Stores, one of Disney's fastest growing businesses with more than 680 stores in 11 countries. In 1992, he moved to Euro Disney S.A., where, as President and Chief Operating Officer, he helped to lead a comprehensive restructuring effort.


All of this information kind of gets my head to spinning. I don't know what to think. I don't want to see Eisner in charge anymore, but I am not sure if it would be better to have Comcast take over. On the other hand, I am not sure it would be such a bad idea for someone else to come in and take over if they are going to take care of the Disney company the way it should have been taken care of over the past few years. It is way to early to figure out what is going on anyway. Comcast had been pretty low, which probably means they are going to be raising their offer eventually, it also opens up grounds for other companies to come and fight to try to get Disney as well. We'll just have to see what happens as this all unfolds.

 

[Dwarful]

Yeah, I saw that on aol this morning, I am not really sure what to think either. It's really hard to tell what one persons idea of greatly restoring or improving really is.
Honestly, I am none to thrilled with the fact that it seems like some of what has Disney's name on it now is not the quality that it should be.

 

[EGNATZ1]

I AGREE I'M NOT A BIG COMCAST FAN BUT ANYONE WHO IS GOING TO PUT AN EFFORT TO GET THE COMPANY AND PARKS BACK TO THEIR GLORY DAYS HAS TO BE BETTER THAN EISNER.

 

[JoeDsny]

As a former CM, Eisner needs to go for destroying a company my wife and I LOVE we met there married there and I cant see the comcast label in the background of my daughters wedding pictures. This buyout id BAD news and anyone with shares should OPPOSE it for the longterm sake of the company we ALL love.

 

[TURKEY]

Originally posted by JoeDsny
As a former CM, Eisner needs to go for destroying a company my wife and I LOVE we met there married there and I cant see the comcast label in the background of my daughters wedding pictures. This buyout id BAD news and anyone with shares should OPPOSE it for the longterm sake of the company we ALL love.

Why?

 

[belle88]

yeah not sure what to think of this either....

 

[PaisleyMF]

Wouldn't make Disney again the Biggest entertainment company in the WORLD (remember what happend before AOL merged with Time Warner) for as long as it keeps Walt Disney Enterprises and not Comcast / Disney, they may have a great plan to save everything, bring back Pixar and get a better Deal with Dimension / Miramax Films.

That Would be Fun to see what happens...

Now just imagine Apple or Microsoft or Even Pixar triying for the same...

 

[JoeDsny]

Originally posted by turkey leg boy
Why?

a company called AOL bought another small company called Time Warner. They are both in the throws of trying to sell off pieces of the old company i.e. Time magazene. Emagine its 2009 and the headline news it that comcast/disney is announcing the sell of of the theme parks to x company for 9 billion.. and taking the magic of the movies and the parks with it. This company is NOT universal or six flags that might survive on JUST their parks the WHOLE comapny is a intragrated "living being" this is how Walt designed it. Giving in to Comcast will spell the death of Disney as we knew it 10 years ago (not now of course). The Brooks brothers wanted to buy Disney in 1984 and Roy brought in Eisner as the savior of the company.. he did save the company and keep it together. The company needs new blood in the upper mgmt that understand that the animation stuido in fla needs to exist and companies like Pixar need to work with Disney to keep the magic alive ...Its a intercrate web that cannot survive a merger or the contunied nondifference of Eisner.

 

[andromedaslove]

Originally posted by JoeDsny
As a former CM, Eisner needs to go for destroying a company my wife and I LOVE we met there married there and I cant see the comcast label in the background of my daughters wedding pictures. This buyout id BAD news and anyone with shares should OPPOSE it for the longterm sake of the company we ALL love.

I really don't think that Comcast would be stupid enough to change the name of Disney, or to add too much of their identity into the Disney parks. What does have me a bit puzzled is that Steve Burke used to work for Disney and knows Eisner and Roy Disney, yet Roy hasn't had anything to say about this yet. Could that be a hint that maybe this is exactly what Roy and Stanley want. As you may or may not remember 20 years ago there was a company trying to make a hostile take over of Disney, and the person that had a major part in stopping it was .... none other than Roy Disney by bringing in Eisner.

 

[MrDisney16]

I am very upset aboout all this. I don't think that Comcast has what it takes to run a company as large as Disney. Disney's biggest problem is that it expanded to quickly. I wondered if something like what's been happening the past few moths was going to happen for the past 10 or so years. Does Roy Disney have enough money to buy the Disney Company? Maybe he will throw his hat in the ring buy I doubt Eisner would sell to him.

 

[HauntedPirate]

I think it's safe to say that no one really knows all of what's going on with this. My family would be utterly devastated if this merger goes thru and the Disney name disappears. I would think that Comcast is infinitely smarter than to get rid of a name synonymous with family entertainment for 75 years.

I very much want something good to come out of this - new management or a renewed push to restore the creativity within the company and focus on content and entertainment, not the bottom line.

As for Roy, he hasn't commented on the proposal yet. I have no idea whether he and Mr. Gold could muster enough backing to purchase the company, or compete with other offers. I do feel that Roy has every right to be a part of the company that he shares name with. His father and uncle started it, and his bringing in Eisner and Wells saved it, more or less. It's a shame that the current management has shifted it's focus over the past 8 years to one of money over all else.

 

[PaisleyMF]

I think that if is money and a newer manegment, I will have some faith in it.
What they can do Let someone that knows run Disney (Movies, Animation and Parks, Distribution of it) ABC to run TV, Cable and Distribution (of TV) and Comast Broadband to manage Go and Intenet. have under the Disney Umbrella 3 Companies that does what they do best.

Remember is to early to tell the aftermath good or bad.

 

[Lee]

Hmmmmm,
Who was it that said a few weeks ago, here on these very boards, that Comcast was seriously looking at making a play for Disney?

Oh yeah.....me.

Anyway....
No, Roy doesn't have the money to buy the company.

No, Comcast would not remove the Disney name from anything.

Am I for it? Not yet. I want more details. The potential upside is huge, but without proper management the pitfalls are even bigger.

Several things could happen:

The board could reject the offer.
If that happens, Comcast may raise the bid. If a higher bid is rejected Comcast can just go out an try to buy the shares on the open market. However, that would be considered very hostile, and could backfire on Comcast in the form of public outcry.

Disney can try to find another company to merge with, one of it's own chosing. This would pretty much put it out of the reach of Comcast.

Or, the board can accept the offer.

I guess the next few weeks will be very interesting.

 

[wdwmaniac]

Could this just be a Roy Disney idea trying to get it's stock holders to try to save disney? If he can't get support against Eisner then what about a takeover?

 

[cherrynegra]

Just in case you guys missed it, there are tons of posts about this subject right here.

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=34140

 

[FigmentJedi]

If the buy out happens(which it probably won't) let me know if you see Jesus coming the second time or if you see the Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse.

 

[Snapper Bean]

I'm starting to think that Roy Disney is the most powerful man in America from reading these boards. First he's got a secret alliance with Steve Jobs which causes Jobs to scuttle the Disney-Pixar negotiations as a way of harming Eisner and promoting Roy's triumphant return. Now Roy has another secret alliance with Comcast. Much to the chagrin of his legions of fans on this board, I don't think that Roy is that powerful.

I know people keep clinging to Roy because he has the Disney name but I'm not even sure the Walt Disney family was that tight with the Roy Disney family. I presume that the heirs of Walt Disney still own sizable shares of stock in the company? Whom do they support?

Snapper Bean

 

[SirGoofy]

I think this merger MIGHT be a good thing. If Comcast says they'll restore the animation and parks to their glory days I'll be fine with it. On the other hand if they do anything like changing the name, adding their name to the parks, etc. there's gonna be heck to pay.

Hm, I wonder if they'll start sellin Philadelphia Flyers stuff at Disney...that would be cool. :lookaroun

 

[vhsshoulddie]

I am curious to know how Roy feels about this.