ding ding ding ROUND TWO...and in this corner

[BRERALEX]

Heres an email i just got from Roy (see how i personalized it, not just savedisney.com, but Roy )

Michael Eisner and the Disney Board of Directors have not truly listened to the shareholder mandate they received on March 3rd in Philadelphia. We are asking all SaveDisney supporters to help us once again convey the message of No Confidence to Mr. Eisner by sending him an email that lets him know he is no longer needed at the Walt Disney Company -- in any capacity. Please click on the link below that takes you to a preformatted email template. You may use the suggested text we have provided, or make changes to it that reflect your own personal grievances. Click write to Eisner to send an email to Michael Eisner. A copy will also go to the office of every other Director.

Our sample letter says the following:

Mr. Michael D. Eisner
Chief Executive Officer
The Walt Disney Company
500 Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521-0752

Mr. Eisner:

Shareholders of The Walt Disney Company sent a loud and clear message at last week's meeting in Philadelphia: over 50% of investors who actually voted want you to resign as leader of their company.

This is an undeniable vote of no confidence in your leadership and that of your Board of Directors. Superficial acts aimed at quelling a call for "contemporary corporate governance" are, unfortunately, not sufficient. Sharing the roles of CEO and Chairman with a clearly non-independent candidate is inappropriate given the level of shareholder discontent. You have underestimated the will of the shareholders and mischaracterized the message.

It's time for a change in leadership. This is in the best interests of shareholders.

Mr. Eisner, you were able to achieve impressive growth of the company's profile in the first ten years of your reign by exploiting the incredible assets left by Walt Disney and his heirs. But the last seven years have been a morass of dwindling shareholder value, disheartening cutbacks in the company's quality and product, and creative malaise-all of which has negatively affected the way we perceive the Disney name. Your strategic planning schemes and rebranding initiatives have siphoned much of the Magic from the Kingdom. Cast Members are suffering as a result of management decisions beyond their control.

We want to see the rich legacy of Walt Disney passed down to future generations, resulting in long-term value creation.

Please respond to our demand that you tender your resignation. We will not tolerate a scorched-earth policy that further harms the company's priceless assets. The Disney legacy is not your personal property, Mr. Eisner; it belongs to all of us.

Pause to consider your own legacy with the company. Already the history books will record that you were the object of a shareholder rebellion that changed the landscape of Corporate America. They will remember that you had to be forced from power. Step down as CEO while you can still salvage some shred of personal dignity.

The winds have changed. You are no longer in control of The Walt Disney Company.

cc to offices of : John Bryson, John Chen, Judith Estrin, Robert Iger, Alywin Lewis, Monica Lewis, Robert Matschullat, George Mitchell, Fr. Leo Donovan, Gary Wilson

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter,

(your name here)

 

[freediverdude]

I received that email too, and actually sent the letter to Michael Eisner, but it was rejected by the email postmaster at Disney as undeliverable. Maybe someone else can try and confirm? Looks like maybe after a few million emails they must have removed the address to keep the server from going down LOL.

 

[BRERALEX]

I clicked the link that was given in the email and so far its all good but sometimes it takes time when something is undeliverable. I hope it goes through, I hope alot of people email him, I hope someone opens their mailbox and its overflowed with disgruntled people.

Well im happy at least Roy is staying proactive.

I really liked

Mr. Eisner, you were able to achieve impressive growth of the company's profile in the first ten years of your reign by exploiting the incredible assets left by Walt Disney and his heirs.

achieve impressive groth hmm sounds like a compliment.....
and then........by exploiting the 'incredible assests left by Walt Disney and his heirs wow Roy is lookin out for his pops this fight is comming from the heart......exploiting sounds like the hand and wand above spaceship earth really is Ei$ners hand and pimp stick........exploiting aint easy

 

[Panthius]

Does Roy have some ulterior motives in play here with this requested email campaign? We just saw the results of 43% of Disney stocks being voted to withhold their votes for Michael Eisner. What may I ask is sending all this email to Michael Eisner's email address? I do not see any real way in which this will have any effect on what is currently happening at The Disney Company, so I am hoping that there is some kind of ulterior motive behind this request from Roy Disney.

Pan

 

[WDSearcher]

I would tend to agree. It's a form letter, and we all know how much we personally tend to ignore form letters. There'll be an influx of e-mail, it will all say exactly the same thing, and it will prove nothing except that Roy has a bunch of people who will do what he tells them to.

Now, if everyone were to sit down and wrote their OWN letter to Michael Eisner or the board, detailing what they personally thought was wrong and why it needed to be fixed, that might have an effect. Because then you're hearing from individuals who are saying, "This is important enough to me to take time and effort and put it on paper." Form letters are easier to ignore.

 

[Chuck S]

Funny, Roy NOW wants Eisner to step down immediately. I thought Roy was griping about no succession plan? And immediate retirement leaves the company with the impression of no stability, no leadership...opening the door to even more take over bids. Something smells fishy to me. Corporate America doesn't make snap decisions overnight. It will take a little time for the board to agree on a qualified replacement for Eisner, and with the perceived instabilty of leadership, Eisner should not leave until there is a new CEO tentatively approved and waiting in the wings.

 

[Another Voice]

"And immediate retirement leaves the company with the impression of no stability, no leadership..."

As opposed to the impression of leaving a disgraced tryannt in power who's running around calling the shareholder's fools and idiots?


"Corporate America doesn't make snap decisions overnight. "

Like blowing five billion dollars on Fox Family at a bar in Colorado?


"Eisner should not leave until there is a new CEO tentatively approved and waiting in the wings."

He's destroyed the career's of anyone that's come within the same ZIP Code of being considered "his replacement". He's just tossed Bob Iger onto the gallows and is waiting for the crowd to gather before he pulls the lever. How much of his DNA has to mutate for him to calmly wait around while board committees order out for lunch?

And isn't this the same board that suddenly changed Eisner's contract so he keeps the same pay for half the job through 2006 - and is already talking about extensions to his contract? What about the "consultant" clause in Eisner's contract. At minimum two years of the same salary and the same perks even after he's gone.

Nope, the "oh - he can't leave yet" is just more delaying tactics, not a serious matter.

 

[Chuck S]

As opposed to the impression of leaving a disgraced tryannt in power who's running around calling the shareholder's fools and idiots?...Like blowing five billion dollars on Fox Family at a bar in Colorado?

Direct quotes and sources, please?

He's destroyed the career's of anyone that's come within the same ZIP Code of being considered "his replacement". He's just tossed Bob Iger onto the gallows and is waiting for the crowd to gather before he pulls the lever. How much of his DNA has to mutate for him to calmly wait around while board committees order out for lunch?

Iger has acceoted responsiblity for ABC, it does NOT mean that his carreer is destroyed, and he could not be a viable replacement for Eisner. Again, Roy was pushing for a succession plan...the board is to bring that up in a meeting this month. Roy does not seem to want to give them the chance to do so...what is he afraid of?

And isn't this the same board that suddenly changed Eisner's contract so he keeps the same pay for half the job through 2006 - and is already talking about extensions to his contract? What about the "consultant" clause in Eisner's contract. At minimum two years of the same salary and the same perks even after he's gone.

It is also the boards responsibility to protect the company, and not open it up to a potentially damaging and expensive lawsuit that could possibly be brought by Eisner. Remember, legally, he was still re-elected to the board with a 57% majority.

Nope, the "oh - he can't leave yet" is just more delaying tactics, not a serious matter.

That is your opinion, I happen to not agree with it.

 

[Goofyposter]

I happen to not agree with it.

Who'd have thunk it !?!?!?!

 

[meowthew2]

Encouraging spamming of Michael Eisner's email address is rude and unprofessional. I'm beginning to agree more and more with Diane Miller. I'd love to support Roy, but I just can't. There's something about his campaign that really rubs me the wrong way. I want Eisner out as much as the next fan, but some of Roy's tactics are questionable.