Since it was founded in 1923, The Walt Disney Company has captivated the masses by fostering imaginative, family friendly entertainment. Having grown into a $155 billion company today, Disney is also arguably the world’s most successful diversified media conglomerate.
Archive for Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company & Shanghai Media Group Expand Strategic Entertainment Alliance in China
At a meeting in Shanghai this week, The Walt Disney Company in Shanghai and Shanghai Media Group (SMG) announced they would expand their strategic relationship to include television content development, movie co-production, content distribution, and co-operation on marketing. The series of projects represents another significant step by both organizations to develop a vibrant creative content industry and connect with audiences in China and globally.
“The strength of this deepening relationship with Disney, and the volume and diversity of the initiatives that we are pursuing, helps set the foundation of a multi-faceted strategic alliance with Disney,” said Mr. Li Ruigang, Chairman, Shanghai Media Group.
“The series of projects we are announcing today represents an exciting new phase in our long-term alliance. We believe that they will serve as the cornerstone of actualizing SMG’s vision in applying world-class creative process; contribute towards the success of local content creation for international markets and create new business models across both digital media and traditional spaces. The endeavors will help us to transform the organization and accelerate its path towards digital success,” Mr. Li added.
“Disney is committed to providing high quality entertainment experiences to audiences worldwide,” said Mr. Robert Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company. “SMG’s spirit of innovaton, diverse platforms, digital destinations and assets provide unparalleled access to that entertainment in China.”
Disney and SMG enjoy a long-standing relationship that would be expanded to include television content development, movie co-production, content distribution and marketing cooperation.
- Born in China, a new Disneynature film currently in production in China, will showcase to the world the spectacular wildlife and natural beauty of China when it opens at the global box office in 2016. Disneynature today revealed that the movie includes rare footage of endangered snow leopards. This film is in addition to the previously announced multi-year studio movie script and talent development fund between The Walt Disney Studios and Shanghai Media Group Pictures (SMG Pictures) with the ultimate goal of co-developing Disney-branded movies for US-China co-productions.
- Disney is in active discussion with Toonmax to produce a kids’ animation series that centers on one of China’s most popular cultural icons. By combining the best talent, creative processes, and cultural insights from both sides, Disney and Toonmax will set out to create a top quality show for kids and families with an ambition for global distribution.
- In 2013, Disney and BesTV New Media Company Limited (China’s number one IPTV operator and the digital media subsidiary of the Shanghai Media Group) agreed to form, and today are in the final steps of registering, a joint venture company in Shanghai that will expand families’ and kids’ digital choices.
- SMG and Disney intend to work closely on a number of marketing initiatives, expanding on their prior collaborations in television and film.
“This unique and far reaching cooperation between Disney and SMG is testimony to the strength of our 15-year relationship and commitment to serving audiences with world class family entertainment,” said Mr. Stanley Cheung, Chairman, The Walt Disney Company Greater China.
Disney Invests in Young Leaders with a $1 Million Commitment to the Hispanic Scholarship Fund
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) announced a $1 million commitment from The Walt Disney Company to provide scholarships to outstanding Hispanic students.
The donation is part of a three-year agreement between Disney and HSF that will create The Walt Disney Company-HSF Scholarship Program. With this generous support, Disney and HSF will help hundreds of students across the country realize their full potential as leaders in their chosen professions, and as volunteers who give back to the community. In addition to funding the scholarships, Disney will also support the bilingual, multimedia Public Service Advertising campaign that HSF has created in partnership with the Ad Council. The ads will appear across ABC and ESPN platforms, encouraging parents on how to prepare, plan, and pay for college.
“The Walt Disney Company is one of the most iconic and respected companies in the world, and we are thrilled to be working together,” said Fidel A. Vargas, President & CEO, Hispanic Scholarship Fund, who made the announcement at the #LATISM14 conference of Latinos in Tech Innovation & Social Media held in Anaheim, Calif. “Support from insightful corporate partners like The Walt Disney Company makes it possible for HSF to increase the number of college scholarships we are able to award to outstanding Hispanic students, and to expand the educational resources and services we offer to Latino parents and their children.”
“Education is the foundation upon which dreams are built, and increasing access to higher learning is an investment with infinite returns for individuals and society as a whole,” said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company. “That’s why we’re committed to raising public awareness and supporting even more outstanding Hispanic students with scholarships that encourage and empower them to achieve their goals.”
Today, one-fourth of all public school students in the U.S. are Hispanic, and research shows that 69% of Hispanic high school graduates are now going directly to college – a rate that is higher than that of the general population.
“As a result of this unprecedented surge of Hispanic college-bound students, the need for information about college and financial resources available to students and families is greater than ever before,” said Mr. Vargas.
In addition to providing scholarships, HSF connects Hispanic students and parents with resources to help them navigate the journey to college and beyond. The organization’s new scholarship season is slated to reopen on January 1, 2015 and close on March 30, 2015. Students can begin the application process immediately by creating a personal profile on HSF’s website, HSF.net.
The Walt Disney Company Honored At Inner-City Arts 25th Anniversary Celebration And 2014 Imagine Awards
Inner-City Arts honored The Walt Disney Company with the Philanthropic Leadership Award at its 2014 Imagine Awards, Friday, November 7th at The Theatre at Ace Hotel, Los Angeles. ABC7 Eyewitness News Anchor Phillip Palmer, hosted. Inner-City Arts board member Vera Campbell, chaired.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti presented the Philanthropic Leadership Award to Jay Rasulo, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, The Walt Disney Company who accepted on Disney’s behalf. Highlighting his acceptance was his surprise announcement that Disney will grant $1 million to Inner-City Arts to support its Creativity Lab, an innovative arts workshop that encourages students to pursue tasks and challenges using creative thinking and creative problem solving. “It’s only by expanding their imaginations that our kids will be able to realize their biggest dreams,” said Rasulo.
Inner-City Arts President & CEO, Bob Smiland, remarked “This gift will help us continue to unlock the creative potential of thousands of children.” In addition to the $1 million grant from Disney, the organization raised a record-breaking total of over $1.2 million.
Billed as a “Celebration of Creativity,” the evening began with a reception and silent auction in the lobby and upstairs tiers of The Theatre at Ace Hotel, the magnificently restored, Spanish-Gothic style, 1600-seat theatre, originally built in 1927. Following the program, the lobby was transformed into an after-party setting, complete with DJ.
Three-time Tony Award nominee, Judy Kuhn, performed Colors of the Wind from Disney’s Pocahontas. World-renowned cellist, Martin Tillman, was also featured along with Sal Lozano and The Imagine Awards House Band as well as bluegrass band, Miskey Mountain Boys.
Vince Caldera, recipient of the 2014 Barbara J. Schreter Scholarship, was one of a number of current students, alumni and teachers who spoke of how their lives have been touched by the organization.
Founded in 1989, Inner-City Arts cultivates a sense of possibility within Los Angeles’ youth. In partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District, the organization provides a safe and supportive environment for youth to explore their creativity.
With 6 billion-dollar movies, Disney will toy with the box office through 2017
Disney, the owner of Marvel Entertainment, Lucasfilm and Pixar, is poised for a box office run during the next three years with at least six films almost assured to surpass $1 billion in worldwide box office sales.
Disney Donates $1 Million To Feeding America To Help Families Access More Nutritious Food
Feeding America, the nation’s leading hunger-relief organization, salutes Disney for its $1 million donation, the vast majority of which will provide grants to 60 food banks to sustain and expand their nutritious meal offerings distributed through afterschool child feeding programs. The donation will be announced on ABC’s “The Chew” today at 1:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. CT/PT.
The ABC lifestyle series will also feature a segment about Seattle-area’s Food Lifeline, a Feeding America member food bank that provides afterschool meals through a Kids Cafe program. Additionally, during the episode, “The Chew” co-hosts will be joined by three Feeding America member food bank and related meal service program chefs, as they prepare meals from common ingredients that might be distributed to a family in need.
Participants will include the following:
- Robert Owens, City of Refuge (affiliated with Atlanta Community Food Bank, Atlanta, Ga.)
- Jonathan Jernigan, Cathedral Kitchen (affiliated with Philabundance, Camden, N.J.)
- Angie Shoffner, East Texas Food Bank (located in Tyler, TX)
Recipes featured on the program can be viewed here.
Increasing the access kids have to nutritious foods and engaging audiences to take action is a part of Disney Magic of Healthy Living’s long-standing commitment to healthy lifestyles. As such, Disney supports Feeding America who provides nutritious meals to more than 12 million children each year. Disney | ABC Television Group has developed a special interstitial featuring Disney Channel and Disney XD stars including: Leo Howard; Kelli Berglund; Jake Short; Paris Berelc; Tenzing Norgay Trainor; Sabrina Carpenter; Austin North and Joey Bragg. The interstitials will air throughout November.
“We are excited that Disney has teamed up with Feeding America to bring much-needed food, including fruits and vegetables, to kids and families who need it the most,” said Bob Aiken, CEO of Feeding America. “Together, along with the public’s support, we will help fill the shelves of local food banks to provide our afterschool programs – from Kids Cafe and BackPack Programs to mobile and school pantries – with healthy produce and nutritious meals to help nourish kids and families during the holidays and all year long.”
Since 2011, Disney has contributed $2.4 million to Feeding America. Click here for more information about Disney’s commitment and the benefitting food banks. To find out more information and about volunteer opportunities at your local Feeding America food bank, visit FeedingAmerica.org/BeInspired.
The Walt Disney Company Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year Earnings for Fiscal 2014
The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) today reported earnings for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended September 27, 2014. Diluted earnings per share (EPS) for the fourth quarter increased 12% to $0.86 from $0.77 in the prior-year quarter. Excluding certain items affecting comparability(1), EPS for the quarter increased 16% to $0.89 from $0.77 in the prior-year quarter. Diluted EPS for the year increased 26% to $4.26 from $3.38 in the prior year. Excluding certain items affecting comparability(1), EPS for the year increased 27% to $4.32 from $3.39 in the prior year.
“Our results for Fiscal 2014 were the highest in the Company’s history, marking our fourth consecutive year of record performance,” said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company. “We’re obviously very pleased with this achievement and believe it reflects the extraordinary quality of our content and our unique ability to leverage success across the Company to create significant value, as well as our focus on embracing and adapting to emerging consumer trends and technology.”
Would Disney spin off Disneyland? Corporate breakup talk ‘jumps the shark’
Eventually, people go from asking “Why?” to “Why not?” and before long some analyst is floating the idea that Walt Disney Co should cast aside the happiest places on earth – all the Magic Kingdoms – by spinning off a theme-park division that could hardly be more intrinsic to the corporate brand and strategy.
Disney Chief Bob Iger’s Advice to Students: Don’t Make Stupid Decisions
On a day when Walt Disney’s (DIS) Marvel unit unveiled bold plans for a slate of fresh superhero movies, a group of students got a more intimate look into the company’s leadership: They had a Skype date with Disney Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger.
How Disney Is Investing $3.2 Billion in Its Future
Keeping the leading family media giant on top isn’t cheap. Disney has been investing billions every year to keep its properties fresh, and that’s not going to stop anytime soon.
