Lesson Objectives: To be able to describe the ownership structure of The Walt Disney Company.

TIMELINE – COMPLETE THE DISNEY TIMELINE 1923 - Disney is founded under the original

name Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio. 1937 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is

Disney’s first feature film. 1955 - Disneyland opens in California. 1983 - The Disney Channel begins. 1984 - Touchstone Films is founded, with aim

of producing films aimed at more mature audiences.

1987 - First Disney Store opens in California. 1992 - Creates National Hockey League team

called the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim to coincide with release of The Might Ducks

DISNEY TIMELINE CONTD.

1994 - Production Beauty and the Beast opens on Broadway.

1996 - Buys the ABC network. 1998 - Disney Cruise Lines first ship sets sail. 2006 - Buys Pixar Animation Studios. 2007 - Buys New Horizon Interactive,

producers of Club Penguin.

THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY

Disney is the biggest media conglomerate in the world.

In 2010 Disney’s total revenue was $38 billion.

Disney is organised into 4 divisions of subsidiary companies.

OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE

The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Studios

Parks and Resorts

Disney Consumer Products

Media Networks

Film, recording labels, and theatrical division

Theme parks, cruiseline, travel related division

Merchandise division

Television, radio and internet companies

WALT DISNEY STUDIOS

Disney Motion Pictures Group Walt Disney Pictures Touchstone Pictures Hollywood Pictures Walt Disney Animation Studios Pixar Animation Studios Marvel Studios

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Disney Theatrical Productions Disney Music Group

Walt Disney Records Hollywood Records

Walt Disney Studios division total revenue in 2010 was $6.7 billion

PARKS AND RESORTS

11 theme parks on 3 continents Disney Cruise Line 8 Vacation Club resorts Adventures by Disney

2010 revenue $10.7 billion.

DISNEY CONSUMER PRODUCTS

Produces merchandise including clothes, toys, food, stationery, electronics.

Disney Store Disney Publishing Worldwide is the world’s

largest publisher of children’s books and magazines reaching over 100 million children a month in 75 countries.

Disney Consumer Products revenue in 2010 was $2.7 billion.

MEDIA NETWORKS

ABC television network Disney Channels Disney Radio network ESPN A & E Television Channels Disney Interactive Media Group

Total 2010 revenue $17.8 billion.

Disney Revenue by Division

Benefits and Disadvantages

What might the benefits and disadvantages of this ownership structure be to both Disney itself, and media audiences?

Watch the video about media ownership. What issues does it raise?

Media Ownership video

Global Media Conglomerate

Disney is a global media company. It’s films are distributed to an international

audience, and make most of their money from international (rest of the world) sales instead of domestic (North America) sales.

Toy Story 3 made $650 million (61%) internationally compared to $415 million (39%) in domestic (USA and Canada) box office.

Disney has theme parks in the United States, Europe, Hong Kong, and Japan.

GLOBALISATION

The Disney Channel broadcasts in North America, Latin America, Africa, Europe, Australasia, Asia, and the Middle East.

GLOBAL MEDIA CONGLOMERATES

International expansion is one of Disney’s main aims.

International revenue has been growing by 10% a year, and they hope to make 50% of their total revenue from international sales.

“We want to create ubiquity, to ensure that you can get any Disney content you want, by whatever means you want, wherever you want.” (Disney President)

Technological developments are helping Disney expand by bringing Disney content to mobile phones, and allowing expansion of TV channels to raise the company’s visibility.

GLOBALISATION

The process by which media breaks down barriers of time and space between people and nations is called media globalisation.

WHAT PROBLEMS MAY MEDIA GLOBALISATION LEAD TO?

Western values, lifestyles, and products, particularly those of the United States dominate.

US entertainment products are seen globally, and most major media companies are owned by a small number of American media conglomerates.

Does media globalisation threaten local/national identities?

Disney Quiz

What was Disney’s total revenue in 2010? Which media conglomerate’s revenue was

higher than Disney’s? How many different divisions does Disney

have? What are they? Which division makes the most revenue? How many theme parks do Disney own? Name six different types of media

owned/produced by Disney. Who is the voice of Bolt’s owner, Penny?