Is Disney Close to Selling ABC?

[TMC1982]

It seems like Disney is a step ahead of Comcast/NBC Universal (although nothing is official for the latter) by likely dumping the broadcast division in favor of more time and resources being spent in its cable outlets (were most of the money is being made).

http://www.theatlantic.com/business...elling-abc-through-ex-employees-arrest/57299/

Who knew federal prosecutors were so good at breaking news? A former Disney administrative assistant and her friend have been arrested for attempting to sell non-public information to investors -- but that may not be the big news. In the complaint (.pdf) that the government released today regarding the action, prosecutors may have inadvertently revealed that Disney may be on the verge of selling its broadcast network ABC.

It's not a huge surprise that Disney is humoring an ABC sale, but it hasn't been reported that it was in "serious and advanced" negotiations. On Monday, for example, the New York Post speculated that Disney might be considering looking for buyers:

Meanwhile, ABC's future in the Mouse House is also not guaranteed, with Disney chief Bob Iger said to be taking a hard look at the network.

"There are no guarantees," he said recently about ABC's future at Disney. A source said the issue is what to do with the accompanying stations.

 

[Donut]

No Lost = No ABC eh ?

 

[BlackLantern]

its still rumor at this point and Bob Iger isn't really talking much....I wouldn't be surprised if it does happen...if you look at what makes good money for Disney of all the tv they own...ESPN makes them the most, followed by the cable channels, then ABC at the bottom

 

[Phatman]

I'd actually be glad if this happens...Disney is too big and bloated and this media oligarchy of six oversized media giants has really stifled creativity. If an independent buyer purchases ABC it means more competition and better choices. Maybe we can see stuff like oh, Saturday Morning cartoons and sitcoms with more regularity than the constant flow of soaps, cop shows and 1-hour legal dramas.

 

[BlackLantern]

ABC has always run its own TV, and TV will usually flow with whats hot....1 hour long form tv (be it comedies or dramas) are whats hot right now....

we'll never see steady cartoons on network tv again, because there are other channels that have that programming 24 hours/7 days and the affiliates make more money with paid programming

 

[enterthemadness]

Disney can go to hell for dumping SOAPNET for another disney kids channel. Soap Net is no more come Jan 2012.

I hope whoever buys ABC keeps daytime the way it is. Daytime soaps pwn anything else during daytime.

 

[Pink Ranger]

It's interesting to see that traditional network TV is, next to newspapers of course, is becoming the sick man of the media industry in terms of being a viable business model.

 

[BlackLantern]

It is....cable offers show creators more leeway in terms of content, people are busy so the internet and ondemand viewing has quickly become an easily available option

just 4 or 5 years ago, people wondered if OnDemand was even practical...the only reason networks started putting their stuff on the internet is because it was getting pirated anyway so they were kind of forced into it

 

[Pink Ranger]

The problem with network TV as a business is that it has built itself such a huge, expensive cost structure, that it can't be nimble enough to deal with losing audience to other things like cable, TV on demand, etc.

The big networks are like the GM/Chrysler of the media world.

 

[enterthemadness]

Big Networks will never go away. Not everybody has cable, or every channel on cable. It's just that the networks have too much reality tv on it. TNT, TBS, USANetwork are all built up or being built up now with original shows. Even Spike TV is getting on the act.

 

[BlackLantern]

no, they won't....but all the really good stuff is on cable right now

 

[Pink Ranger]

For the next little while, the Networks will be the loss leader or low growth business that big empires acquire from each other as "prestige" acquisitions that they hold on to for a few years, until they get tired of losing money and sell it to another empire.

I'm not saying that the big networks will disappear, but I wouldn't rule it out. People used to say that the big newspapers will be around forever, and I really can't see those fallen titans being around 10 years from now.

 

[conjob_89]

Disney can go to hell for dumping SOAPNET for another disney kids channel. Soap Net is no more come Jan 2012.

I hope whoever buys ABC keeps daytime the way it is. Daytime soaps pwn anything else during daytime.

They're ditching SOAPnet?! My Moms would go ape****

 

[SuperHeroHype]

No, Disney send us a statement saying this was not true.

 

[BlackLantern]

ok?? because CNN has an article dated yesterday that in 2012 SoapNet is going away

 

[TMC1982]

No, Disney send us a statement saying this was not true.

If Disney weren't putting ABC up for sale, then quite frankly, the chances are that we wouldn't be hearing about these rumors in the first place! Then again, I wouldn't totally believe it until I "see it".

 

[danoyse]

ok?? because CNN has an article dated yesterday that in 2012 SoapNet is going away

Disney released a statement that the ABC sale rumors weren't true. They did officially announce that SOAPNet is going away and becoming Disney Junior (basically a 24-hour version of Playhouse Disney).

If ABC is sold, does ESPN go with it?

 

[BlackLantern]

No....ESPN makes Disney the most money out of all the cable properties it runs

 

[danoyse]

That's what I thought...looking at my Disney shareholder statement.

 

[TMC1982]

In a way, I wouldn't be too surprised if Disney sold ABC because not too long ago, CBS was in the same bed with Viacom. Therefore, there was a lot of corporate synergy like with Nickelodeon and MTV. Now, CBS has broken off into its own self-owned company. Also, after a few years, Time Warner and AOL separated. I can realistically see ABC be taken over by Hearst-Argyle Television or Allbritton.