Disney/ABC deals with YouTube

elizabethswann · Post by **elizabethswann** » Mar Tue 31, 2009 10:22 pm

Just days after word leaked that Disney was in talks to join the Hulu online video service, the conglom's Disney/ABC TV Group and ESPN have sealed a separate deal with YouTube.

Under the pact, YouTube will launch several channels featuring shortform programming from both ESPN and Disney/ABC. Disney Media Networks will sell its own advertising inventory on the channels in a revenue-sharing arrangement with YouTube parent Google.

The deal serves the interests of both sides, as Google is looking to squeeze more revenue out of its Internet vid titan while Disney/ABC is looking for wider Web distribution of its exclusive program content. Disney has said that it's looking to expand beyond its own media player and onto more ad-supported Web streaming platforms.

More in the article here: http://www.variety.com/article/VR111800 ... id=14&cs=1

DisBeamer · Post by **DisBeamer** » Apr Wed 01, 2009 12:07 am

Interesting. Seems they're doing a lot of wheeling and dealing at the moment. Wheeling and dealing and outsourcing. Sounds like a good match for them, though. Youtube has the infrastructure and they have the inventory.

Post by **Dr. Ravenscroft** » Apr Wed 01, 2009 9:39 am

DisBeamer wrote:Interesting. Seems they're doing a lot of wheeling and dealing at the moment. Wheeling and dealing and outsourcing. Sounds like a good match for them, though. Youtube has the infrastructure and they have the inventory.

I think it is more that the exec's at Disney are more into technology then former exec's and other companies exec's. So they are finally getting this whole internet thing that we all figured out years ago. They realized it isn't just for e-mail and p**n. Maybe FINALLY with one company taking a bigger leap the others will follow, although it might be nice if Disney was the money maker for a while longer then the company as a whole will have more and the Parks will get some of that.

DisBeamer · Post by **DisBeamer** » Apr Wed 01, 2009 5:44 pm

Dr. Ravenscroft wrote:I think it is more that the exec's at Disney are more into technology then former exec's and other companies exec's. So they are finally getting this whole internet thing that we all figured out years ago. They realized it isn't just for e-mail and p**n.

It's possible. I need to see them repair the useless trainwreck that is their website before I give them props for "getting the internet". The fact that three years of alleged internet research into their fan community resulted in D23 doesn't give me a lot of faith, either. Getting in with Hulu and GoogleEarth is a step in the right direction, though.

I'm not giving them any credit in innovative thought for teaming with youtube, since that's the in thing to do right now to control (alleged) revenue loss from people watchin' your stuff for free.