The final wave of exclusive limited edition merchandise created for the 50th birthday of Disneyland® Park will be available for purchase beginning at midnight April 7, 2006. Our friends at DisneyShopping.com have kindly sent us a sneak peek at these collectible items, which can only be ordered at www.DisneyShopping.com or by telephone at 800-237-5751.
This merchandise will not be available in the theme parks and resorts, and no advance orders will be accepted.
"Pirates of the Caribbean Auctioneer (Marc Davis design) bronze statue on marble base - $99.95 Item# 96006-S36
"Main Street, U.S.A. Omnibus Replica" (with certificate signed by designer Bob Gurr) - $199 Item# 95999-S36
"Dumbo and Jiminy Cricket at Disneyland" Big Fig - $150 Item# 96014-S36
"1957 Monsanto House of the Future" illuminated Scale Model Replica - $149 Item# 96001-S36
"Haunted Mansion Lenticular Pins" (boxed set of five pins) - $44.95 Item# 96007-S36
"Disneyland Tin Sign Set" (five die-cut signs: Tiki Room, Submarine Voyage, Home of the Future, Vintage Castle logo, and Walt Disney's face) - $99.95 Item# 96002-S36
"Disneyland 50th Anniversary (Vintage Land Logos) Gold Coins" (Five coins) - $39.95 each or Buy All Five for $159 Fantasyland Item# 96235-S36 Adventureland Item# 96234-S36 Tomorrowland Item# 96237-S36 Frontierland Item# 96236-S36 Main Street USA Item# 96233-S36
"The Sparrow Has Landed" -- Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean Podcast
3/30/2006
Featured today at the Walt Disney World podcast site (click here to visit the site) is "The Sparrow Has Landed," a 20:29 podcast featuring Disney Imagineers Kathy Rogers and Jason Surrell, author of "Pirates of the Caribbean: From The Magic Kingdom To The Movies." In the podcast the Imagineers discuss the upcoming changes to Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean attractions.
The podcast can be downloaded directly via this link.
Ed note: At 14.09 MB, this is a large file. Dial-up users may want to consider finding a high-speed connection before attempting to listen. _______________
Disney Legend Carlson To Retire; Anaheim OKs Walk of Stars
3/29/2006
Imagineer Joyce Carlson, who began working for Walt Disney Productions more than 60 years ago, is "easing into retirement," according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Carlson, who was named a "Disney Legend" in 2000 for her work in Imagineering and animation, began working as an office girl at Disney in 1944, moving up the ranks to animated films and, later, moving to attraction design. Her projects included Disney's Carousel of Progress attraction, still in operation at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom in Florida, as well as "it's a small world."
The Disney Legend designation is granted to those who have made significant contributions to the Walt Disney Company. The most recent recipients included Art Linkletter and Steve Martin. _______________
Press Release
ANAHEIM TO CREATE "WALK OF STARS" IN RESORT AREA HONORING ORANGE COUNTY CELEBRITIES
ANAHEIM, Calif.
Home to some of the world's most well-known celebrities, athletes and humanitarians, the City of Anaheim will soon have a Walk of Stars to honor those who have transformed Anaheim and Orange County and shaped its culture.
To commemorate the City's 150th anniversary, Anaheim officials have started working with the Motion Picture Hall of Fame Foundation to create the Anaheim/Orange County Walk of Stars, similar to venues in Hollywood, Las Vegas and Palm Springs.
"We are proud of the many celebrities, amateur and professional athletes, and outstanding humanitarians who have called Anaheim and Orange County home," Mayor Curt Pringle said. "The Anaheim/Orange County Walk of Stars will give Anaheim residents, businesses and visitors an opportunity to honor those special individuals as well as leaders and entrepreneurs who have transformed Anaheim and Orange County."
Each star will be made of granite and imbedded in the sidewalks surrounding the Anaheim Resort, with the first stars being placed along the west side of Harbor Boulevard. City officials are currently creating the Walk of Stars Selection Committee to review nominations for the Walk of Stars.
Nominees for the Walk of Stars must have lived or worked in the greater Anaheim area and have contributed to the worldwide prominence and name recognition of Anaheim. Nominees can be from a variety of fields including entertainment, sports, literary, humanitarians and the military.
Meritorious stars will be available to honor prominent local leaders. To nominate someone for the Walk of Stars, please call (760) 416-5811, email awostars@aol.com or visit the contact page.
Anaheim officials plan to have 50 stars in place by the time the City's Sesquicentennial anniversary arrives in 2007.
(source: City of Anaheim)
Ed note: According to an update, the first stars in Anaheim's Walk of Stars will be placed in front of Disneyland along Harbor Boulevard and extend toward the Anaheim Convention Center. Walt Disney is a smart bet to be named one of the first recipients of a star. Disneyland Park has its own star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, located directly in front of the entrance to Disney's soda fountain on Hollywood Boulevard, and several classic Disney characters have also been honored with stars on the Hollywood Walk. _______________
Hollywood's El Capitan Theatre Goes Wild for 'Spring Break' Engagement of Disney's New Computer-Animated Comedy, 'The Wild' From April 14 - May 11; L.A. Zoo Will Present Exotic Birds Live on Stage Before Each Show
HOLLYWOOD, Calif.
March 28
Hollywood's legendary El Capitan Theatre will present the wildest show in town from April 14th through May 11th as part of its special "Spring Break" engagement of Walt Disney Pictures' hilarious new computer-animated feature, "The Wild," it was announced today by Lylle Breier, senior vice president of worldwide special events for Buena Vista Pictures Distribution. In addition to the film, live on stage before each show, moviegoers will have a chance to meet a colorful cast of exotic birds from around the world accompanied by their keepers from the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens. "The Wild" follows an odd assortment of animals from the New York Zoo, who discover what a jungle the city can be when they hit the streets on a mission to save one of their own. An impressive vocal ensemble featuring Keifer Sutherland, Jim Belushi, Janeane Garofalo, Greg Cipes, William Shatner and Eddie Izzard, and Richard Kind lend their talents to the film's animal characters. Advance tickets for all shows can be purchased at the El Capitan Box Office, online at www.elcapitantickets.com or by calling 1-800-DISNEY6. Group rate tickets are also available for groups of 20 or more.
As an added treat, Disney's Soda Fountain & Studio Store (located adjacent to the El Capitan Theatre) will be offering a special movie-themed delight called "The Wild Sundae." The sundae features crisp animal crackers grazing on a mountain of scrumptious vanilla fudge ice cream topped with homemade caramel sauce, freshly sliced bananas, and whipped cream, served in a colorful commemorative bowl.
Commenting on the announcement, Breier said, "Moviegoers are in for a wildly entertaining time at the El Capitan with this special engagement of 'The Wild.' We always like to give our guests something extra, and a live stage show starring birds from the L.A. Zoo is the perfect complement to a film about exotic animated characters. Families and audiences of all ages are going to have lots of fun at the El Capitan, and 'The Wild' delivers many laughs and surprises. This the perfect spring break entertainment."
"The Wild" is directed by Steve "Spaz" Williams, an Oscar®-nominated visual effects veteran ("The Mask"), who helped to pioneer CG character animation through his work at ILM on such films as "The Abyss," "Jurassic Park," and "Terminator 2: Judgement Day." He also directed the popular series of Blockbuster commercials featuring the computer-animated characters Carl the rabbit and Ray the guinea pig. "The Wild" was produced by Clint Goldman, the animation and visual effects producer on "The Mask," and a producer on the 1997 feature, "Spawn," as well as the Blockbuster commercials, and industry veteran Beau Flynn.
Adding to the film's fun and entertainment is a spectacular score by multi-Oscar®-nominated composer Alan Silvestri ("Back to the Future," "Polar Express"), and a soundtrack filled with new and familiar tunes by such popular recording artists as Coldplay, Everlife, Lifehouse, and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Former "Monty Python" member Eric Idle and fellow songwriter John Du Prez, the team responsible for the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, "Spamalot," wrote and performed the song, "Really Nice Day" for the film.
ERIC FREEMAN NAMED VICE PRESIDENT, TECHNOLOGY, WALT DISNEY INTERNET GROUP
NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif.
The Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) announced the appointment of Eric Freeman as vice president, technology, with responsibility for the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online. Freeman will lead the charge in driving technology development of the Web properties and new media activities for The Walt Disney Company's theme parks and resort hotel properties, including information Web sites, e-commerce and online attractions.
Freeman returns to the Walt Disney Internet Group after a two-year stint with O'Reilly Media Inc., where he co-directed and co-authored the publishing firm's "Head First" series of technical reference books, including the award-winning Head First Design Patterns and the bestselling Head First HTML.
"We're thrilled to welcome Eric back to our team," said Douglas Parish, executive vice president and chief technology officer, Walt Disney Internet Group. "There are few people with his level of credentials in theoretical and practical technology, and his forward-thinking abilities will be a valuable asset in helping us stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly growing and changing category."
Freeman originally landed at the Walt Disney Internet Group in 2000, where he initially acted as a director in the company's portal division. He later served as director of engineering, driving development in the areas of broadband, wireless, media content distribution, wireless technology and content syndication. This includes co-inventing WDIG Motion, a proprietary, patent-pending Internet technology allowing broadband users to view high-quality video, embedded in standard Web pages, without impacting narrowband users' experiences.
Freeman's background also features a number of impressive accomplishments, such as recognition by MIT's Technology Review as one of the top 100 young innovators and a Jolt Award for product excellent from Software Development Magazine. He also co-founded Mirror Worlds Technologies Inc., along with industry luminary David Gelernter, in 1996. The company produced a commercialized version of Freeman's Ph. D. work, one of the first research systems to suggest an alternative for the desktop metaphor. Freeman also has held positions at Yale University's Department of Computer Science and NASA's Goddard Space Flight center.
Freeman has a Doctorate, Master of Philosophy and Master's in Computer Science from Yale University, a Master's in Computer Science from Indiana University, and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Kentucky.
About Walt Disney Internet Group
Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) provides strategic leadership and operational management for The Walt Disney Company's (NYSE:DIS) Internet properties, including category leaders Disney.com, ESPN.com and ABCNEWS.com. A market leader in developing and distributing entertainment and informational content to new platforms, WDIG is committed to creating and delivering products for broadband distribution including: ABC News On Demand, a subscription video news service that offers the Internet's first 24-hour, live, Internet-only news channel and top ABC News programs for on demand viewing; Disney Connection; and WDIG Motion, a proprietary video technology for broadband users. Through relationships with some of the world's largest wireless carriers, WDIG distributes content and services to wireless users under the Disney brand.
Additionally, WDIG has led the way in developing interactive content for televised programming through its Enhanced TV service. Steve Wadsworth is president of WDIG, which is headquartered in North Hollywood and has operations in Budapest, London, Munich, New York, Orlando, Fla., Seattle and Tokyo.
Disney Editions is currently accepting preorders for its first-ever "Disney Yearbook." The book, available in hard or soft cover editions, includes a look at the 50th anniversary celebrations, films, events, and some of the people who helped build the company into the media giant it is today.
Author and friend of KeepToTheCode.com Jason Surrell contributes several essays in this first-ever publication, including "Captain Jack Is Back: The New Voyages of Pirates of the Caribbean," offering an advance look at the upcoming films.
General information can be found at this link, and sample pages can be viewed at this link. The hard cover edition sells for US $49.95 and includes a limited edition 4-color lithograph and a specially-created DVD. The soft cover volume sells for US $24.95 and does not include the bonus materials available with the hard cover. _______________
Roy E. Disney will receive the equivalent of a lifetime achievement award at the Cartoons on the Bay animated film festival in Positano, Italy in April. The festival will run from April 5 to April 9, with 40 films representing 13 countries vying for a prestigious Pulcinella Award.
Said Disney, "[this] is an event of worldwide importance where animated films and television have found an extraordinary showcase."
Disney co-executive-produced the Oscar®-nominated short film Lorenzo as well as producing Fantasia 2000, the followup film to Walt Disney's 1940 film Fantasia.
Press Release
Pixar Reports Record Results for 2005
EMERYVILLE, CA
Pixar Animation Studios (Nasdaq: PIXR) today reported financial results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2005. For the year, Pixar earned $152.9 million, or $1.24 per fully diluted share, on revenues of $289.1 million. This compares to earnings of $141.7 million, or $1.19 per fully diluted share, on revenues of $273.5 million for the year ended January 1, 2005.
For the fourth quarter of 2005, Pixar earned $30.9 million, or $0.25 per fully diluted share, on revenues of $55.6 million. This compares to earnings of $55.2 million, or $0.45 per fully diluted share on revenues of $108.9 million, achieved in the fourth quarter of 2004.
"2005 marks Pixar's tenth year as a public company and, I'm pleased to report, our most profitable year ever," said Pixar CEO Steve Jobs. "With the proposed merger of Pixar and Disney, this will likely be our last report as an independent public company, and I'd like to thank every Pixar shareholder for their support over the past decade in helping us build this amazing company."
Results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005, were driven by film revenue of $274.8 million, primarily from The Incredibles and Finding Nemo. This included $151.7 million from The Incredibles, largely from worldwide home video and consumer products licensing, and $58.3 million from Finding Nemo, mainly comprised of worldwide home video, worldwide television and consumer products licensing. The company's library titles contributed approximately 23% of its total film revenues, generating $63.0 million during the year, largely from worldwide home video sales, worldwide television and consumer products licensing. In addition to film revenue, software licensing contributed $14.4 million to full year 2005 revenue.
Results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2005, were driven by film revenue of $51.9 million, primarily from Finding Nemo and The Incredibles. This included $22.6 million from Finding Nemo, largely from worldwide television licensing and home video, and $10.2 million from The Incredibles, mainly comprised of consumer products revenue and worldwide home video sales. The company's library titles contributed approximately $19.1 million in the quarter, largely from continuing consumer products revenue and worldwide home video sales, including the domestic DVD re-release of Toy Story 2 and the international DVD re-releases of Toy Story and Toy Story 2. In addition to film revenue, software licensing contributed $3.7 million to fourth quarter 2005 revenue.
Cost of revenue was $39.4 million for fiscal year 2005 compared to $29.9 million in 2004, and primarily represents amortization of capitalized film costs. Gross profit margin for fiscal year 2005 was 86% compared to 89% in 2004. The decrease in gross profit margin from 2004 to 2005 is attributable to a higher proportion of revenues from The Incredibles, which had a higher amortization percentage as compared to Finding Nemo in the prior year. For the fourth quarter of 2005, cost of revenue was $4.1 million, representing a gross profit margin of 93%, compared to $13.3 million and 88%, respectively, for the comparable period in 2004. The increase in gross profit margin from the fourth quarter of 2004 to the fourth quarter of 2005 can be attributable to a higher proportion of revenues from Finding Nemo, which had a lower amortization percentage as compared to The Incredibles and relative to Finding Nemo's amortization rate in the prior year.
Total operating expenses decreased to $34.3 million in fiscal year 2005 from $34.9 million in 2004. For the fourth quarter of 2005, operating expenses decreased to $10.1 million from $11.4 million in the corresponding period last year. For both the full year and the fourth quarter, the decrease in operating expenses over the prior-year was due primarily to a reduction in research and development costs, partially offset by increases in sales and marketing and general and administrative expenses.
Interest and other income was $26.2 million in fiscal year 2005, up from $12.4 million in 2004, and consisted primarily of interest income on investments. For the fourth quarter of 2005, interest and other income was $8.2 million, up from $3.9 million in 2004. The increases in 2005 compared to 2004 were primarily due to higher average cash, cash equivalents, and investment balances earning interest at higher average rates.
The overall effective tax rate for fiscal year 2005 was 36.7%, which was lower than the statutory rate due to a number of factors including the tax benefit associated with certain income earned outside the U.S., a tax deduction related to income attributable to domestic production activities and certain tax-exempt investment income. Cash, cash equivalents, and investments were approximately $1.0 billion at the end of the year, representing an increase of $185.8 million over the company's 2004 year-end balance. This was mainly attributable to cash received from Disney for Pixar's share of film revenues, as well as proceeds from stock option exercises and interest income, offset by film production costs, taxes and capital expenditures.
Capitalized film costs at December 31, 2005 were $182.1 million versus $140.0 million at the end of 2004, reflecting production spending on current film projects, offset by amortization of capitalized film costs of $38.6 million.
Further information regarding these results will be available through the company's 2005 annual report on Form 10-K, accessible through Pixar's Web site at http://corporate.pixar.com/edgar.cfm.
About Pixar Animation Studios
Pixar Animation Studios (Nasdaq: PIXR, www.pixar.com) combines creative and technical artistry to create original stories in the medium of computer animation. Pixar has created six of the most successful and beloved animated films of all time: Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo and The Incredibles. Pixar has won 20 Academy Awards® and its six films have grossed more than $3.2 billion at the worldwide box office to date. The Northern California studio's next two film releases are Cars (June 9, 2006) and Ratatouille (summer 2007).
This release contains forward-looking information regarding Pixar's targeted release dates for Pixar's next films and actual results may differ materially. Factors that could cause delays in the release of the films include, but are not limited to: (1) the uncertainties related to production delays; (2) financing requirements or other marketing or distribution factors; (3) personnel availability; (4) external socioeconomic and political events; and (5) the release dates of competitive films. Please refer to Pixar's 2005 Annual Report on Form 10-K, particularly the sections on risks, for important factors that could cause actual results to differ.
(source: Pixar Investor Relations)
ed note: the Disney acquisition of Pixar is expected to be completed in late April/early May of this year, according to Disney Chief Financial Officer Tom Staggs. _______________
"Reporting from Hollywood, this is Keep To The Code News..."
3/13/2006
KeepToTheCode.com has "gone Hollywood" yet again! Click this link to view photos from the Los Angeles invitation-only red carpet premiere of Disney's "The Shaggy Dog," as well as a few photos of a certain Captain's hand and foot prints in front of the fabled Chinese Theater.
(ed note: KeepToTheCode.com is a wholly owned property of DizHub.com) _______________
THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY TO WEBCAST ITS ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
BURBANK, Calif., March 2, 2006
The annual meeting of shareholders of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), including remarks by management regarding the Company, will be available live via audio webcast at www.Disney.com/investors beginning at 10:00 a.m. PST on March 10, 2006.
A re-play will be provided through Friday, March 24, 2006 at 4:00 p.m. PST.
(source: Disney Investor Relations) _______________
Pirates Location Filming To End; National Geographic Spotlights Blackbeard; Menken Inks Disney Deal; Disney-Sky Collaboration
3/01/2006
According to The Bahama Journal (click to view), Pirates of the Caribbean filming will be wrapping this week in Grand Bahama before moving back to Los Angeles later this summer.
The newspaper quotes publicist Michael Singer as saying "We are finishing mid-week (and) this completes our location photography in the Caribbean region."
Filming of parts two and three of the Pirates trilogy has helped the local economy tremendously, according to several sources. One of the most important lasting legacies of Pirates in the area is the Collyer Tank, a massive water tank used to film scenes that are too difficult or risky to shoot on the open sea. The Bahamas Film Studios at Gold Rock Creek will maintain the tank, which will be used in other films in the future, further fueling the local economy. _______________
This just in: Keep To The Code has the first look at our exclusive members-only gift! "Cannibal Jack," our free thank-you gift for members only, will be released soon. Click here to view the concept art developed for this exclusive item and to find out how you can get your very own limited edition keepsake! _______________
The National Geographic Channel has announced the broadcast of Blackbeard: Terror at Sea beginning March 12. Click here to visit the site, which includes video clips, pirate lore - even a special Hangman game.
According to National Geographic, "Blackbeard: Terror at Sea is the original and colorful story of this fearsome pirate who preyed on Caribbean trade routes and stars actor James Purefoy (Marc Antony in HBO's Rome). The two-hour high definition film charts the exploits of Englishman Edward Teach, an intelligent and charismatic leader who confounded the powers of England and Virginia as he overtook and pillaged 40 ships in two years, stealing hidden cargo and precious exports to and from the Caribbean.
Sea chases, cannon battles and swordplay were common occurrences for Blackbeard and his men, but his carefully calculated visage - displaying cutlasses, pistols, a giant beard and burning cannon fuses coming out from under his hat - was so frightening to his prey that they sometimes surrendered without a fight. In addition to colorful drama and incisive insights into its complex subject, Blackbeard: Terror at Sea unfolds against the tapestry of America's infancy and explores the surprisingly democratic life that pirates experienced at sea."
(source: National Geographic) _______________
Press Release
BURBANK, Calif., March 1
Eight-time Academy Award® winning composer Alan Menken ("The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin," "Pocahontas," "The Hunchback of Notre Dame") has signed a non-exclusive, multi-picture deal with Walt Disney/Touchstone Pictures to score non-animated films and compose for live-action projects, it was announced today by Mitchell Leib, President of music and soundtracks for Walt Disney Pictures & Television/Buena Vista Music Group. For his first assignment under this new deal, Menken will score as well as write five original songs for Walt Disney Pictures' upcoming romantic musical-fantasy, "Enchanted," which is being directed by Kevin Lima ("Tarzan," "102 Dalmatians"). For that project, Menken will reunite with Tony and Oscar® winning lyricist Stephen Schwartz, his collaborator on "Pocahontas" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." Menken recently completed scoring Disney's upcoming live-action comedy, "The Shaggy Dog," due in theaters on March 10th.
Under the terms of this new arrangement, Menken is expanding his role from within other divisions of The Walt Disney Company. For Disney Theatrical Productions, he is currently in preproduction on the stage version of "The Little Mermaid." Menken is also developing a new animated musical, "The Frog Princess" for Walt Disney Feature Animation. For Disney Creative Entertainment, he is creating a stage musical of "The Snow Queen" set to debut at Tokyo DisneySea with Amon Miyamoto directing and John Weidman as the bookwriter and Glen Slater the lyricist. He is also writing music for a Sinbad attraction in Japan for Walt Disney Imagineering.
Menken's current slate of projects also includes composing an original score for the stage musical adaptation of "Sister Act" (based on the hit Touchstone Pictures' film) premiering this October at the Pasadena Playhouse.
Commenting on Menken's new expanded role, Leib said, "Alan is one of the greatest music composers and songwriters of all time, bar none. There is simply no one like him. The only reason he hasn't done more work for us in live-action to date is because the rest of Disney keeps him so busy working on animated films, theatrical stage plays, and theme park attractions. I feel very fortunate to now have him working on our live action films too."
Chris Montan, president of Walt Disney Music, added, "Alan became part of our world with 'The Little Mermaid' and has been making beautiful music for us ever since. He was an important part of our animation renaissance here at Disney and continues to be one of the most exciting, original, and prolific composer/songwriters of our times. We're thrilled to be working with him on such a wide variety of projects, and look forward to seeing him stretch his talents in new and innovative ways."
Dick Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, said, "Everyone is familiar with Alan's incredible talents when it comes to writing songs for animated projects and theatrical productions, but he is also a great film composer in his own right. He has written a terrific score for 'The Shaggy Dog' and has expressed interest in writing music for other live-action films. Alan is a true Disney legend, and his music has enriched so many of our films."
Menken is best known for his hit animated musicals including "The Little Mermaid," "Aladdin," "Pocahontas," "Hercules," "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "Beauty and the Beast" as well as the stage version of the latter which has the distinction of being the longest running American musical. Menken is also known for the stage and film version of "Little Shop of Horrors."
His deal with Disney was brokered by Richard Kraft of Kraft-Engel Management.
(source: Disney Studios) _______________
Media Alert
SKY, DISNEY MEDIA NETWORKS AND THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS TEAM UP FOR MORE FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT, HDTV AND LEGAL BROADBAND MOVIE DOWNLOADS
Two New Channel Brands - Disney Cinemagic and ESPN Classic - To Launch As Part Of New Arrangement
Disney Channel and Playhouse Disney Become Available to Millions More Viewers As Part Of 'Kids Mix' Package of Basic Channels
Walt Disney Studio Movies Available From Sky HD and Sky by broadband
Jetix distribution on Sky digital extended
Disney Media Networks, The Walt Disney Studios and British Sky Broadcasting (Sky) today announced plans to bring a wider choice of channels to Sky digital customers and to work together to exploit new opportunities in high definition television and broadband. The wide-ranging series of agreements expands the portfolio of great content from The Walt Disney Company available to Sky digital customers and extends the relationship between the two organisations.
Two new channel brands - Disney Cinemagic and ESPN Classic - will be made available to Sky digital customers for the first time, while Disney Channel and Playhouse Disney will be available to millions more Sky digital viewers as part of the Kids Mix package of basic channels. There will also be more ways to enjoy great films from The Walt Disney Studios as movies distributed by Buena Vista International Television join Sky's legal broadband download service, Sky by broadband, and its forthcoming high definition television offering, Sky HD.
From 16th March, Disney Cinemagic, a new premium channel brand for families, will be the first place on television to see Disney's latest animated films such as Pixar's The Incredibles. Subscribers to Disney Cinemagic will also enjoy regular access to other great Disney favourites such as Lady and the Tramp and Cinderella. Disney Cinemagic will be available to Sky digital customers as a stand-alone premium channel or as a bonus channel for subscribers to Sky Movies 1 and 2.
From the same date, Disney Channel and Playhouse Disney will be available to Sky digital customers as part of the 'Kids Mix' of basic channels. Disney Channel will be even more kid-focussed, complementing Cinemagic, and offering live action favourites like That's So Raven, popular animation series and Disney Channel Original Movies, including High School Musical which is currently taking the States by storm. Playhouse Disney, a channel targeted to preschoolers, will premiere the new CG animated, learning-focussed series, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, in May.
ESPN Classic, launching on 13th March as part of Sky's 'News and Events Mix', will be the only sports channel in the UK devoted entirely to the greatest moments and legends of sport with a mix of all-time classic highlights, matches, movies, interviews, profiles and documentaries. ESPN Classic, part of ESPN Inc., the world's leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company, will be available 24/7 on channel 442. Launch night alone will include Borg vs. McEnroe - the Great Wimbledon Rivalry, England's 2003 Rugby World Cup Final victory over Australia and the 1984 European Cup Final between Liverpool and AS Roma.
Through a distribution agreement with Buena Vista International Television, Sky Movies will continue to offer a package of current and library Walt Disney Studio films, with customers enjoying access to forthcoming Sky Movies premieres such as Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe; The Aviator, Finding Neverland, Sin City and Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. In addition to the extension of existing pay-TV and pay-per-view rights, the new agreement gives Sky the ability to offer these titles in High Definition format and on a video-on-demand basis. These titles will also be available, for a set period, via the Sky by broadband service, which since last month has allowed dual Sky Movies subscribers to download films to their personal computers to enjoy when they want at no extra cost.
Under an amended distribution agreement, Sky digital customers will continue to enjoy access to Jetix and Jetix+1 for up to a further five years from the expiry date of the current deal in 2007. Jetix offers a dynamic programming mix of action, adventure and cheeky humour, both animated and live action, for kids with a core focus on 7-11 year olds, with programming highlights including Power Rangers, Jackie Chan Adventures, Totally Spies and A.T.O.M Alpha Teens on Machines.
In commenting on the announcement, Anne Sweeney, Co Chair of Disney Media Networks and President, Disney-ABC Television Group, stated: "This agreement, which marks our largest distribution deal outside the US, is great news for viewers, who will now be able to access an even broader array of Disney content, either through their TVs or via broadband on personal computers. The strategic utilization of new technologies to meet consumer needs is of paramount importance to the growth of the Disney Media Networks Group, and we look forward to this deal enhancing an already rich association with Sky, and our viewers in the UK and Ireland."
Richard Freudenstein, Sky's Chief Operating Officer, said: "These agreements show the range and quality of Disney content. Working with outstanding brands like Disney and ESPN allows us to offer great entertainment for every family member and to break new ground in multi-platform content distribution. With today's announcement, we are creating another compelling reason for families to join Sky digital and demonstrating again the strengths in content and innovation that position Sky well for sustained growth."
George Bodenheimer, Co-Chair, Disney Media Networks and President, ESPN, Inc and ABC Sports, said: "ESPN has built up a passionate bond with sports fans and we are very excited to extend this with the launch of ESPN Classic in the UK on the Sky platform. We are confident that ESPN Classic, a dedicated new sports channel designed specifically for the UK market, will capture the attention of the UK sports fan as it has in over 40 countries across Europe."
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS), together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with four business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment and consumer products. Disney is a Dow 30 company, had annual revenues of nearly $32 billion in its most recent fiscal year, and a market capitalization of approximately $51 billion as of February 3, 2006.
British Sky Broadcasting
Sky is the operator of the leading multichannel television platform in the UK and Ireland. Around 21 million viewers in 8.1 million households enjoy an unprecedented choice of movies, news, entertainment and sports channels and interactive services on Sky digital, the UK and Ireland's first and most popular digital television platform. BSkyB's channels are available in 10.2 million households through cable and digital terrestrial television.
Sky by broadband is free to Sky digital customers in the UK and Republic of Ireland who subscribe to two Sky Movies or two Sky Sports channels. . Dual Sky Movies subscribers can download movies and dual Sky Sports subscribers can download sporting clips. Sky World customers can access both movies and sports clips.
