Comcast makes $54 billion hostile bid to buy Disney

[Phillip]

As you may have heard, U.S. cable company Comcast has put in a $54 billion bid to acquire Disney and all of it's properties 100%. Let us know your thoughts on the following.

1. If Comcast is sucessful and acquires the Walt Disney Corporation will it change your views on Disney.

2. And if Comcast does eventually own Disney, will you want Henson to be a part (either in partnership or ownership) of this new media giant?

Obviously we don't know much yet about how everything will play out, but these events could possibly have a direct influence on Henson's future.

 

[BoyRaisin2]

Well, I don't know how far this will go, but this is some big news.

One thing I admire about Disney, as a corporation, is that they are the only classic movie studio (as far as I know) to not be merged into another company. Unlike Warner, Fox, and others, Disney itself evolved into the media giant it is today. Not bad for an 80-year-old.

And I really don't know if this is a good deal or not (if it happens), but I have to say it'd be really cool to follow. Some love the game and process of politics, I love it when media companies merge because it's interesting when all these major brands get together, and since I was young I've had a thing for logos. Anyway...

As for The Jim Henson Company, I still think it would be good for them to team up with Disney whether Disney is part of "Comcast," "Disney," or "Comcast Disney." They need a major player behind them, and they might as well team with the ones who have expressed the most interest and confidence in the Henson corporation. And that's Disney.

So there.

 

[Baby Animal]

The one thing I have heard that may happen if Comcast takes over Disney is that they can get rid of Eisner. That would be worth it all. Maybe Roy would come back

I wish I owned some Disney stock right now.

 

[beaker]

The one thing I have heard that may happen if Comcast takes over Disney is that they can get rid of Eisner. That would be worth it all. Maybe Roy would come back

I wish I owned some Disney stock right now.

An Eisner free Disney is like Walt himself coming back...hate to say it, but man...sometimes evolution is a foot.

This news just came out of leftfield! I didnt even think comcast *had* 54 million dollars, let alone $54 BILLION...geez!

So if Disney is worth $54 billion...and JHC only $80 million...but JHC is a thousand times more creative and cooler, it shows net worth isnt always everything.

My thoughts? I like change, so I say let comcast buy em.

 

[jediX]

Disney can't really get much lower than they are right now. Dropping handicapped lines [http://snopes.com/inboxer/petition/linejump.asp], the recent death, this food poisoning incident, the terrible line of relentless straight-to-video sequels...

Maybe this will put a stop to that. I doubt it. Oh well.

 

[jzion12345]

I think this might hurt Henson's hopes. Disney on it's own would have been a shoe-in to partner with Henson. Under Comcast, there would be other sources of income. They would not need Henson. Pixar made Disney a whole bunch of money, but obviously not enough.

 

[Squigiman]

I wish I could agree about the net worth not mattering so much, but honestly I don't really think Henson, at the present moment, can really stack up, creatively. Jim has been gone, and since then, nothing has really had the old truly Muppet feeling. Then Richard died, Frank is seemingly totally out of the picture, and Jerry Juhl stopped writing. The real core talent of the height of the Muppets and the Henson Company, as a whole, has been very lessened. Not that I think that there's no talent, currently. Honestly, being a huge Gonzo fan, am extremely happy to see his constant presence, but with say IAVMMC, it was disappointing, how much I had to hold on to him as the most real Muppet character. Also, Steve's original characters, such as Rizzo work for me. Still, the old Muppet wit is gone, and I don't know if it's just because the general public has been dumbed down, or just lack of really great writers, but I feel the Muppets are just a commodity, all too much, these days. I certainly am not happy about this, and I know Jim and Richard can not be revived, at least with current medical science, but still, I think they need to work harder to work back up. As Danny at Tough Pigs suggested, focusing on the core group, with smaller doses of all the others would be very useful, I think. I really don't mean to offend anyone, just sharing opinion. Thanks for listening, and take care.


-Squigiman

 

[BoyRaisin2]

I agree with just about everything you said. But the Muppets still have game, and if they have a good idea (like the NBC movie) and the right financial backer (Disney!), they'll be fine. There's obviously still Muppet lovers out there, with the success of all the merchandise that has come out in the past year or so. And if they can tap that excitement by making actual product, I believe Henson can be a major player again.

 

[alorindanya]

I'm so torn

Working for Disney, this ComCast announcement has come as a shock to everyone I work with. Whether it goes through or not, I'm still proud to work for Disney. I have no opinion on Michael Eisner, but I have to say he dug Disney out of a bigger whole than he's put them into. The company was truly dieing before he stepped in. I agree it may be his time to step down and pass on the tourch, but I have no ill will towards him.

But as for if Disney should embrace Henson if the Comcast merger does go through...If only things didn't boil down to business and politics. Henson needs the financial support, but will they be stopped creatively? I hope not.

 

[Struble]

*Shrugs* Disney is already a corporation. If they get a new owner, it's nothing, really.

Struble