Tag: Disney

Disney goes 24/7 in Africa

MUMBAI: Disney Channel announced that it would now transmit 24 hours a day on MultiChoice’s DStv platform across South and sub-Saharan Africa.The channel first launched with a 16 hours per day schedule and has now expanded its programming schedule to 24 hours..

In a multiyear agreement with MultiChoice in September 2006, Disney Channel was made available to more than 1.3 million DStv subscribers across South and sub-Saharan Africa. At launch, Disney Channel aired daily from 6 am to 10 pm

It also follows a 2004 edict mandating that Chinese cartoons had to account for at least 60 per cent of a channel’s animation output.

The channel claims to enjoy the position of number one kids’ channel in multichannel homes in South Africa with shows like That’s So Raven, Zack & Cody and the new series Hannah Montana .

An official statement also mentions that with an average 16-percent audience share, the network ranks as one of the top three performing Disney Channels worldwide.

“From day one we have made a huge impact on the South African market, which demonstrates there is a real appetite for Disney Channel programming,” said Disney Channel UK, Scandinavia and emerging markets managing director Rob Gilby.

March 3, 2007
Disney expands cruise line business

MUMBAI: US media conglomerate Disney plans to expand its successful cruise business by adding two new ocean liners,

Scheduled to launch in 2011 and 2012, the ships will more than double the passenger capacity for Disney Cruise Line to meet the sustained demand for Disney’s family cruise vacations.

The company signed a letter of intent with Meyer Werft shipyard, based in Papenburg, Germany, to negotiate a contract to build the 122,000-ton new cruise liners, which will be two decks taller than the existing 83,000-ton ships, the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder. Each ship will have 1,250 staterooms. Specific design plans and itineraries for the yet-unnamed ships are still in development and will be unveiled at a later date.

Disney CEO Bob Iger says, “Since our maiden voyage in 1998, Disney Cruise Line has been a huge success for our guests and for our shareholders alike. It has brought our unparalleled family vacation experience to the high seas, and has also generated high margins and double digit returns on invested capital. We are excited to announce the expansion of our fleet, which is a logical next step in what is a real growth business for us.”

Disney Cruise Line established the family market within the cruise industry when the business launched in 1998. The first two ships were purpose built for families to reconnect and recharge while creating vacation memories that will last a lifetime. From a theater featuring live musical spectaculars to a luxurious spa for adults and nearly an entire deck dedicated to children’s activities, the ships offer something for every member of the family. Disney Cruise Line continues to grow by attracting passengers who say they would not have cruised if it hadn’t been for the Disney brand.

Disney Parks and Resorts chairman Jay Rasulo says, “Focussing on families has been smart business for us. More than 95 per cent of Disney Cruise Line guests rate their cruise experience as excellent or very good. Families know they can trust us to provide a quality, immersive Disney experience. As a result, Disney Cruise Line continually sets sail with the highest load factors in the industry of nearly 150 per cent.”

Similar to the original Disney Cruise Line ships, the new ships will be a modern interpretation of classic ocean liners of the 1930s. Disney Imagineers drew their inspiration from the original trans-Atlantic ships that featured a dramatic black hull with two funnels and porthole windows. The profile of the ships, with its gentle curves at the stern combined with sleek angles at the bow, are reminiscent of the art deco designs of the era.

To add whimsy to the classic design, the Disney ships have the same exterior colour palette as Mickey Mouse with black, white, red and yellow. The new ships will feature elegant, detailed Disney scrollwork at the bow and will evoke images of the glamour of the golden age of cruising.

February 28, 2007
CCTV renews deal for the Oscars

MUMBAI: Disney’s TV distribution arm Buena Vista International Television–Asia Pacific (BVITV-AP) has announced a TV licensing agreement with China’s movie channel, CCTV-6.

This agreement builds on the company’s existing relationship with the broadcaster.

In the first agreement, CCTV-6 has renewed its multi-year licensing agreement with BVITV-AP to broadcast live The 79th Annual Academy Awards including the 30 minute Red Carpet pre-Show on its movie channel. Since 2003, CCTV-6 has been the exclusive broadcaster in China for the live telecast of The Annual Academy Awards® and pre-Show. In India the Oscars will air on Star Movies on 26 February 2007.

BVITV-AP senior VP, MD Steve Macallister says, “CCTV-6 has been a key business partner for many years and so we are delighted to be continuing our relationship with this new arrangement. As the leading dedicated movie channel in China, it’s only fitting that CCTV-6’s viewers continue to enjoy exclusive and premier access to the biggest movie event of the year, the Oscars.”

Disney executive VP, MD for China and Hong Kong Stanley Cheung says, “China is a key strategic priority for the company and with these TV licensing agreements we are delivering our strategy to bring great family entertainment to China”.

Later this year, the movie High School Musical will air on CCTV-6, in a separate multiple movie package deal concluded with BVITV-AP.

The High School Musical US premiere in January 2006 broke Disney Channel ratings records, and, for its 16 airings, has now been seen by over 40 million unduplicated total viewers. The movie has already reached over 100 million total viewers on a global basis and delivered best-ever ratings for a Disney Channel Original Movie on Disney Channels in New Zealand, Australia, Southeast Asia and the UK.

In the Asia Pacific region High School Musical has been licensed to six broadcasters including Seven Australia, The Movie Network Australia, TVNZ New Zealand, 8TV Malaysia, Fiji TV Fiji, and TVB Pearl Hong Kong. The made-for-TV movie made its international terrestrial TV debut in July 2006 in primetime on Seven Network Australia as the #1 movie in 2006 for Tweens 10-15 delivering a 17.9/67% rating/share and the #2 movie on Seven Network this year with a 9.5/40 per cent rating/share for the Under 55s. It premiered on TV2 New Zealand on 19th August, and was the number one programme of the night among People 5+.

February 17, 2007
Disney visual effects veteran Peter Ellenshaw dies at 93

MUMBAI: Peter Ellenshaw, the Oscar winning visual effects pioneer and matte artist who is known for his work on several Disney classics like Mary Poppins, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Darby O’Gill and the Little People, Treasure Island and The Black Hole, passed away at his home in Santa Barbara on 12 February at the age of 93.

Announcing his demise, an official statement referred to him as “a hand-picked member of Walt Disney’s creative team.” Ellenshaw was called upon to create a wide variety of visual effects for the Studio’s films, and even painted the iconic first map of Disneyland that was featured on all the early postcards and souvenir booklets.

Ellenshaw regarded Walt Disney as a source of inspiration, a wonderful executive, and over the years, a good friend. “Walt had the ability to communicate with artists,” observed Ellenshaw. “He’d talk to you on your level — artist to artist. He used to say, ‘I can’t draw, Peter.’ But he had the soul of an artist, and he had a wonderful way of transferring his enthusiasm to you.”

Ellenshaw began his association with Walt Disney in 1947, when he was tapped to work on the Studio’s first live-action film, Treasure Island (1950), and continued working there until his retirement in 1979 following The Black Hole. Born in Great Britain in 1913, Ellenshaw began his film career in the early 1930s, when he apprenticed for visual effects pioneer W. Percy (Pop) Day, O.B.E. He worked on such productions as Things to Come, Rembrandt, Elephant Boy, Sixty Glorious Years, A Matter of Life and Death, and the Michael Powell-Emeric Pressburger classic Black Narcissus.

February 15, 2007
General Mills & Disney unveil 3 character based cereal variants in US

MUMBAI: General Mills and Disney Consumer Products have come together to introduce three new Big G cereals: Disney’s Little Einsteins Fruity Stars, Disney’s Princess Fairytale Flakes and Disney’s Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Berry Crunch in the US market.

“These new cereals make it easier for moms to give their kids a nutritious start to the day at an affordable price,” said General Mills marketing manager Kerstin Peterson. “With great taste and nutrition – and the appeal of Disney’s characters – these cereals will make breakfast fun for everyone.”

According to an official announcement, Big G’s Disney cereals provide at least eight grams of whole grain per serving (at least 48 grams recommended daily) and 10 percent of the Daily Value of calcium. These cereals comply with Disney’s food guidelines for Disney-licensed cereal products, which allow Disney characters to appear only on kid-focused products that meet certain requirements, including limiting the amount of calories, fat, saturated fat and sugar. Each variety is priced at $1.99 per box.

“Disney is in a unique position to help make nutritious products appealing to kids,” said Food, Health and Beauty for Disney Consumer Products, North America vice president Lance Gatewood.

February 14, 2007
ABC to add more features to its broadband video player

MUMBAI: US media firm Disney-ABC Television Group will add further enhancements to its ABC.com broadband video player later this year.

Disney-ABC Television Group president Anne Sweeney says, “We have been clearly focussed on what consumers are doing and continue to build our business to match their behavior and their interests. In the past year, through efforts like our ABC.com video player, weve shown our dedication to deliver the best content to consumers in ways that are relevant and cost effective for them.

“By continuing to listen to our audience and enhance our digital offerings with the best technology available, we further strengthen their relationship to our brands.”

Later this year users will be able to watch episodes in two additional screen sizes. Providing beautiful, crisp resolution, a full-screen viewing size will be added. Also, a small mini screen (240×136 pixels) that users can position wherever they choose on their desktops will be available. The standard viewing size (500×282 pixels) and the larger viewing size (720×404 pixels) will both continue to be offered as well. The enhanced player will also featu dyrenamic bandwidth selection which automatically adjusts the bitrate of video streamed to maximise the experience for users, regardless of the capabilities of their Internet connection.

Additionally, a Pause Ad feature will be rolled out. Whenever users pause an episode they are viewing online, the screen will feature a static ad from that episodes featured sponsor which will remain on-screen until they reinitiate viewing of the show.

Later this year ABC.com’s full episode player will be expanded further to include national news and local content, in addition to primetime entertainment programming. Additionally, this new player will be geo-targeted, offering the ability for local ads and content to be more relevant to each individual user.

To date, ABC affiliates covering 80 per cent of the US, including all major affiliate groups as well as the ten ABC owned stations, have launched or have committed to launching the player on their own websites and are taking advantage of the opportunity to incorporate local advertising into the programming.

Disney-ABC Television Group executive VP, digital media Albert Cheng says, “We are excited to see that research continues to support two of our original hypotheses. First, it again confirms making episodes available online results in additive viewing opportunities for consumers and is not cannibalizing linear network viewership.

“Secondly, users have an extremely positive response to the interactive advertising on ABC.com. It has been part of our strategy to conceive and demonstrate a new advertising model on the web with 30-second countdown clocks, interactive ad containers, pause ads and other future innovations that help our advertisers and maintain a quality consumer experience. We are pleased to see advertisers embracing this strategy and working with us to create interactive ads that engage consumers and maximize the potential the platform has to offer.’

Since the broadband player launched as a permanent feature on ABC.com in September 2006, over 50 million episodes of ABC primetime series have been initiated by users. Based on new research conducted for ABC by Frank N. Magid Associates late last year, the broadband player continues to attracted a young, highly educated audience; the average age of users was 28, and more than half were college graduates. In general, users of the ABC.com broadband player skew female, mirroring the linear networks audience.

Among those surveyed, 77 per cent watched online because they had missed a particular episode on television and were looking to catch up. Viewing generally occurs within the first 24 hours of an episodes broadcast on ABC, with online viewing peaking at 10 pm. The majority of users viewed from home (76 per cent), with 57% using a desktop computer and 43 per cent a laptop.

On an average, 84 per cent of users surveyed were able to recall the advertiser who sponsored the episode they viewed. Users surveyed embraced the interactive advertising, with almost 50 per cent rating the advertising experience as excellent and approximately one-third describing the featured advertisements as entertaining and informative. Users surveyed gave especially high marks to entertainment category sponsors, as well as sponsors whose ads contained the multiple opportunities for interaction including games, product demos and coupon offers.

ABC.coms broadband player currently offers full-length episodes of shows like Desperate Housewives, Greys Anatomy, Lost and Ugly Betty free to consumers on ABCs website the day after their broadcast premieres.

February 10, 2007
Disney Q1 net profit grows on DVD sales

MUMBAI: US media conglomerate Disney blew past Wall Street expectations as it reported strong first quarter earnings on gains from the sale of its shares in US Weekly magazine and the E! Entertainment channel.

Even without the one-time gains, which boosted earnings by 29 cents per share, the media conglomerate beat analyst forecasts by 11 cents per share on strong performance from sales of DVDs, including Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.

In the quarter ended 30 December 2006, Disney earned $1.7 billion, or 79 cents a share, which includes a gain of 39 cents a share from the sale of Disney’s stake in E! Networks and Us Weekly. Excluding the gains, the earnings did top analyst estimates of 39 cents a share.

Quarterly revenues were $9.73 billion, driven by DVD sales of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, Cars and High School Musical along with strong results from ABC and ESPN.

Net income rose from $734 million in the first quarter last year to $1.7 billion. Revenue grew 10 per cent to $9.7 billion. Disney CEO Bob Iger said, “These results are particularly gratifying given the great year we had in 2006 and are another clear sign our strategy is driving growth and creating shareholder value.”

February 10, 2007
Disney renames video game unit to Disney Interactive Studios

MUMBAI: Disney has announced that its video game business unit formerly known as Buena Vista Games will be renamed to Disney Interactive Studios.

The business unit will publish both Disney and non-Disney branded video games for all platforms worldwide. Video games will be published under the company’s consumer brands including Disney, ABC and Touchstone.

Disney Interactive Studios’ senior vice president and general manager Graham Hopper said, “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.”

The announcement was made at the company’s investor conference in Orlando.

February 9, 2007

Kids TV channels expect rapid expansion in 2007

MUMBAI: Building on the momentum provided in 2006, the kids genre is expected to scoot at an even faster clip this year.

Backed with experience in the market, these kids entertainers are speaking a ‘lingo’ that is reaching out to Indian kids. The world of opportunity that this genre has opened its doors to in the last two years, seems to have laid the foundation for a level playing ground. The kids channels market is estimated to be in the region of Rs 1.2 – 1.3 billion and is poised to see 20 – 25 per cent growth year on year.

An analysis of Tam’s six month kid’s score card (TG: CS 4-14 Years, Market: All India) provided exclusively to Indiantelevision.com, highlights key developments that the space has experienced. With the entire kid’s landscape changing, the consolidation of Disney with Hungama TV altered the dynamics, so much that the Turner duo (Cartoon Network and Pogo) were hit hard in the months of October and November 2006, clocking a combined market share of 39 per cent as opposed to Disney’s 52 per cent (Disney Channel 15 per cent, Toon Disney 16 per cent & Hungama TV 21 per cent).

GENRE / CHANNEL	15JULY-15 AUG	15 AUG-15 SEP	15 SEP – 15 OCT	15OCT-15NOV	15NOV-15DEC	15DEC-30DEC	01JAN – 13JAN 07
TG: CS 4-14 Yrs Mkt: All India
Cartoon Network	25	24	24	23	24	26	28
Disney Channel	11	10	10	15	15	14	14
Toon Disney	18	18	20	16	14	15	13
HungamaTV	17	18	18	21	19	17	15
Nickelodeon	5	7	7	9	10	9	7
Pogo	23	22	20	16	17	19	23

TAM peoplemeter system: Month on Month Genre – wise Relative Channel Shares (%)

Although the ratings from July onwards point to a close battle between the two major players, it seems Hungama TV did the trick that fuelled such a massive jump. Speaking to this website, Hungama TV VP programming and production Aparna Bhosle explains that the upward inclination in ratings was actually kicked off with the seven month Oral B John Aur Kaun on-ground activity. “This was a sure reach builder for us and coupled with word of mouth it managed to get many kid’s to come onto the channel and even sample our other shows.”

Walt Disney Television International (India) executive director production and programming Nachiket Pantvaidya points to a significant finding which sees older children being drawn away from GEC’s, sports etc. and back to kids channels, a challenge that all these broadcasters are working in collaboration towards. “The period that followed from June and July saw a rapid shift in axis towards a transformation of kids viewing habits. Primarily, two factors brought about this change, mainly older children moving to live action programming and secondly, the growing attraction among the 4-9 year age group towards anime.”

Turner International India Pvt. Ltd. VP – advertising sales and networks, India & South Asia Monica Tata attributes the ratings dip in the months of October – November saying, “it is a known fact that the viewing intensity for kids channels peaks in summers and dips during other months.”

But come January 2007 and Tam’s data unlocks revelations that have left all broadcasters (not just kid’s broadcasters) baffled! The expansion of Tam’s peoplemeters, coupled with Cas implementation and DTH seems to have thunder struck the newer players in the kid’s market and elevated Turner to the leadership position. As Tata aptly states, “The combined channel shares of Cartoon Network and Pogo in 2007 equal, if not exceed, the combined channel shares of all the other five kids channels put together.”

While others may counter the argument by saying that with over ten years lead time Cartoon Network has obviously penetrated deeper into the Indian hinterland. But then what accounts for Pogo’s re-entry into the 2007 game, when it is also as old as its other counterparts?

But the dark horse in the game, which is steadily galloping its way upwards, is Nick, Viacom’s till recently “orphaned” child (at least in India). Nick India VP and GM Nina Jaipuria says, “The challenge for 2007 is to consolidate and drive reach for the channel in India.” The data points to an alarming jump, where the channel has doubled its market share from 5 per cent in July-August to 10 per cent November-December 2006. Coinicidently, NDTV Media was roped in during the same period and has not wasted any time in ramping up activity for Nick.

What’s strange is that for a player that touched Indian soil in 2000 and has been a forerunner in the International space for over two decades, it is only recently eyeing the advantages that the kid’s market in India has to offer. Nevertheless, it’s not too late and the channel boasts of being the stickiest channel in the latter half of 2006.

The changing media scenario shaping the consumption patterns of viewers has got media owners biting their nails in anticipation for the next roll out of Tam figures. What seems to indicate a far more accurate measure of channel reach – except for the Turner pair, the others say that they will not totally consider the recent three week Tam findings as it will require a period of about three months to completely settle down and stabilize.

Come what may the kid’s market is looking promising and according to Pantvaidya the market has grown from 10 to 25 per cent in two years and estimates that 2006-2009 will prove to be the years of expansion in the kid’s space and of course growth in the ad pie. Disney is of course clear on its ‘localization’ strategy that lends itself to animation, live action and on-ground events as being the way forward.

With a specific agenda on the cards for each channel, will 2007 witness a bunch of kid’s quarreling in the sand? Bhosle thinks otherwise, “It’s rather myopic for players to compete within this small space; the huge fight will be to continue getting kids from other channels onto the kid’s channels.”

“We believe that healthy competition will help the genre grow and channels will deliver quality entertainment to their audience. It’s the kind of content that makes all the difference and develops loyalty to a channel. A lot more original content in terms of movies and series is planned for the year. We will also provide a platform for content that other people make, through acquisitions. Besides quality programming, we will also try to build up on the events of 2006,” avers Tata.

The playing field is ready, it is now left to see whether the kid’s market in India will mature to the extent that more than just two players are in the game, but rather multiple teams each delivering their expertise to keep kids glued!

February 7, 2007

Hungamathon runs well in Kolkata, Delhi next on agenda

MUMBAI: After Mumbai, the Hungama TV organized kid’s mini-marathon which was postponed in the other two cities, finally kicked off in Kolkata on 4 February at the Ladies Golf Course Ground (Maidan Area). The Britannia Tiger Hungamathon in Delhi is slated to take place on 18 February.

Currently, Disney acquired children’s channel Hungama TV tied-up with West Bengal Athletic Association to ensure appropriate adjudication of the event and Total Sports Asia to handle the planning, promotion and execution of the event. Hungama TV captain 2007 from Kolkata was judge for “the crazily dressed kid” category.

Following the mishap that took place at the Mumbai venue the other events had to be re-scheduled. As per the original schedule, the Delhi event was slated to take place on 14 January followed by Kolkata on 28 January. The channel claims to have received a response from over 15,000 kids at Kolkata.

The Walt Disney Company (India) managing director Rajat Jain said, “In the second year of this event, we are going to three cities with an overwhelming response of over 30,000 registrations received in each city. We at Hungama TV, celebrate this friendship and solidarity with our young fans. Being a brand in the kids and family space is one of immense responsibility. This run was a medium for us to communicate to the millions of children across the country to see the joy and freedom of being outdoors and having fun as a team.”

West Bengal Athletic Association president Prasun Mukherjee said, “One of the aims of the West Bengal Athletic Association (WBAA) is to promote sports in the state. Through this marathon, we want more children to take up sport and promote the spirit of running. The WBAA looks forward to a successful event this Sunday.”

Total Sports & Entertainment India Pvt Ltd. managing director Navneet Sharma said, “The Hungamathon provides the ideal platform for kids to maintain the competitive spirit and also to have fun. We are very happy to partner with Hungama TV on this fantastic event.”

Speaking about Britannia’s association with the event, Britannia Industries Ltd vice-president and head of marketing, sales and innovation Neeraj Chandra said, “Britannia is very happy to be associated with ‘Hungamathon 2006-2007’. It is an excellent initiative to encourage kids to indulge in physical activities which involves fun and energy, which is what the brand Tiger symbolizes.

“Tiger is a very popular brand among kids and is a great source of their daily energy dose. The response to this mini-marathon has been tremendous and it is a great way for kids to have fun and we will always continue encouraging these kind of activities.”

February 5, 2007