Disney buys Pixar: Good or bad?

This is just like Apple buying Next - depending on your take either Apple's core was gutted and replaced by Next tech (Disney has spent the last few years shutting down its manual animation studio's around the world)

or

Apple spent about $400 million for Steve Jobs and got Next's OS for free...

I think Disney is like Apple of '96 - in desperate need of modernisation and a leading hand that actually knows his stuff...

Let's not forget that Disney owns ABC, several cable stations (ESPN), Buena Vista motion pictures, ABC radio network (but not for long), and Lord knows what else...

Yeah, it's good that Jobs is "in," but if it's at the expense of quality Apple products, then this is not good.

This is one very, and I mean VERY smart move for Jobs. He now is the largest shareholder of one of the largest media networks in the world. Apple wants to be the digital hub of the household, and I don't see that happening unless Apple gets all media content over the iTMS. I can see apple and Disney working to put Cartoons, TV shows, and even Movies over iTunes. If Steve came to any network a month ago, and asked to stream there content over iTunes, we all know that no one would take him seriously, but if the largest stockholder of Disney who also happens to own that iPod company approached a network to pipe TV or movies over the net, now people are going to listen. Way to go apple you now have a position that not even Microsoft has, to bad Steve dosen't have some comapny he can sell to the Cell Phone industry, then Apple would be set.

The calls of CEO Iger will rise with Iger's first bad quarter. I don't think Steve will do it though. Disney is too large and too diversified a company for him to get involved hands-on. His influence will be definitely be felt at Disney though. I'm sure Disney will be a hot stock this year.

Your poll missed an obvious point. I could give a rodent's hind-end about Disney, or even Pixar. What I'm worried about is what this means for Apple. Being a part of Disney is no small task. I can't see how this won't take more time from Steve. I fear for Apple.

P.S. Does this mean those crappy Disney kids' computers with ears and flash MP3 players are gonna be made by Apple now? Shudder....

So, when do you think Steve will be the CEO of Disney by?
My money is on 2010.

Dixar?

"saw" should read "say". I should say "doh!"

Isn't this how Jobs came back to Apple? I saw break Disney up into film and entertainment divisions, give the parks to Iger and let Steve run the studios.

BTW, Dave, according to this (http://money.cnn.com/2006/01/24/news/companies/disney_pixar_deal/index.htm -- see sidebar), it isn't exactly true that each film has made more than its predecessor. The Incredibles, fine film that it is, didn't make as much as Finding Nemo.