DIS Shareholders and Stock Info ONLY

[clarker99]

The article that stated $4B also stated that ABC nets have an OI of $575m/yr. I don't know where those numbers come from or if they are even remotely true. If they are, I would say $4B-$10B is not a fire sale. Especially if it gets to $10B+.

 

[Marek Zyskowski]

I think that the old model is the new model. Consumers are looking to bundle what they subscribe to. Disney might divest a few things but it is unlikely those would include anything delivering their content that makes money. They just probably want to make sure the consumer subscribes to Disney streaming services. Who knows they may figure out a way to stream local content like local news through Disney+.

 

[wabbott]

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/disney-byron-allen-10-billion-offer-abc-fx-national-geographic/

Media mogul Byron Allen offers Disney $10 billion for ABC, cable TV channels
By Elizabeth Napolitano
Updated on: September 15, 2023 / 12:05 PM EDT

Media mogul Byron Allen has offered $10 billion to the Walt Disney Co. to purchase its ABC television network, in addition to the cable networks FX and National Geographic.

The bid, which Allen's representative confirmed to CBS MoneyWatch, would include ABC's national TV network as well as several regional stations. The offer is "preliminary" and "could change" at any time, a source with knowledge of the matter told Bloomberg.

The $10 billion figure is based on an estimation that the networks accrued $1.25 billion in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization within the past year, the publication reported.

Disney CEO Bob Iger signaled in July that Disney was open to selling some of its television assets as consumers continue to flock to streaming networks, eclipsing traditional television and cable. Since then, the company has been in talks with potential buyers including local broadcaster Nexstar, Bloomberg reported.

Disney is facing financial pressures as its fledgling streaming business continues to lose money. The company's streaming unit has lost more than $11 billion since it debuted Disney+ in 2019, and during the most recent quarter alone it reported $512 million in losses, according to an August earnings report.

Byron Allen is the founder and CEO of Allen Media Group, a global media production and distribution company that owns the Weather Channel, along with several regional sports networks and broadcast TV stations.

Allen entered the media business in the early 1990s after a successful career as a stand-up comedian on programs like The Tonight Show and as host of the late-night talk show The Byron Allen Show, according to a bio on his company's website. In 1993, he founded CF Entertainment, later renamed Entertainment Studios, a division of AMG, which he built into a media empire worth roughly $1 billion through a series of acquisitions, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

In 2022, he tried to buy the Denver Broncos — a move that would have made him the first Black majority owner of an NFL franchise — but was ultimately outbid.

 

[jerry557]

What part of anything reported constitutes a firesale is happening? The nets are still churning profit and Disney doesn't really need to sell them. They could just milk them forever and then sunset them when no longer profitable So, why would they firesale them? If a good offer comes in then maybe they accept.

A lot of noise out there to sift through. I would ignore the numbers part of the reports and just realize that talks are happening.

Because other parts of the company, that they dont want to part with or change, is going down the toilet. And they need to sell assets to stop the bleeding.

 

[clarker99]

Because other parts of the company, that they dont want to part with or change, is going down the toilet. And they need to sell assets to stop the bleeding.

Fire sale (noun): a sale of goods or assets at a very low price, typically when the seller is facing bankruptcy.

There is no fire sale happening. Linear makes enough profit to keep the entire DMED division profitable.

 

[wabbott]

Fire sale (noun): a sale of goods or assets at a very low price, typically when the seller is facing bankruptcy.

There is no fire sale happening. Linear makes enough profit to keep the entire DMED division profitable.

At this point in time, yes. The rub is what the future holds for linear TV advertising, network and cable.

What would any of us do were we in Iger's chair today? Sell now? Hold on and hope ad revenue rebounds? I guess that's why he's paid the big bucks - to make correct decisions more often than not.

 

[peder]

It's a fire sale compared to, for instance, Disney acquiring the Fox assets. It's a fire sale compared to the value of ABC a decade ago.

But the a company that has the wrong asset mix, and ABC as a linear network isn't suddenly going to increase in value. It's a good time to dump the network.

 

[clarker99]

At this point in time, yes. The rub is what the future holds for linear TV advertising, network and cable.

What would any of us do were we in Iger's chair today? Sell now? Hold on and hope ad revenue rebounds? I guess that's why he's paid the big bucks - to make correct decisions more often than not.

The talks are happening. I am just trying to counter the narrative that ABC is being sold for a pittance.

I also want investors on this thread to realize that the last 4 quarters Linear Networks have produced $6.7B in PROFIT. I have no clue how much of that is related to ABC and its affiliates but all together legacy media still is the major profit centre for TWDC. The narrative that Linear is near bankrupt is not true. Yes, it is in decline and will likely continue to decline. But if you sell off you leave a $6B Operating Income hole and nothing currently to make any of that up.

 

[wabbott]

The talks are happening. I am just trying to counter the narrative that ABC is being sold for a pittance.

I also want investors on this thread to realize that the last 4 quarters Linear Networks have produced $6.7B in PROFIT. I have no clue how much of that is related to ABC and its affiliates but all together legacy media still is the major profit centre for TWDC. The narrative that Linear is near bankrupt is not true. Yes, it is in decline and will likely continue to decline. But if you sell off you leave a $6B Operating Income hole and nothing currently to make any of that up.

Maybe, and I'm just throwing this out for discussion, TV distribution is not an area that DIS needs to be involved in from here on. It's obvious that distribution options are multiplying at the same rate that bandwidth is expanding. Think what it will all be like once WIFI becomes available everywhere all the time - a cell phone antenna on every power pole, if you will.

How about, and again I'm just thinking out loud, if DIS focused on quality content - movies, tv series, etc - and license that content to other distributors. Let someone else worry about infrastructure, employees, networks, streaming, etc.

 

[clarker99]

Maybe, and I'm just throwing this out for discussion, TV distribution is not an area that DIS needs to be involved in from here on. It's obvious that distribution options are multiplying at the same rate that bandwidth is expanding. Think what it will all be like once WIFI becomes available everywhere all the time - a cell phone antenna on every power pole, if you will.

How about, and again I'm just thinking out loud, if DIS focused on quality content - movies, tv series, etc - and license that content to other distributors. Let someone else worry about infrastructure, employees, networks, streaming, etc.

Let someone else make $6B in profit

 

[clarker99]

Maybe, and I'm just throwing this out for discussion, TV distribution is not an area that DIS needs to be involved in from here on. It's obvious that distribution options are multiplying at the same rate that bandwidth is expanding. Think what it will all be like once WIFI becomes available everywhere all the time - a cell phone antenna on every power pole, if you will.

How about, and again I'm just thinking out loud, if DIS focused on quality content - movies, tv series, etc - and license that content to other distributors. Let someone else worry about infrastructure, employees, networks, streaming, etc.

In the studios BEST 4 quarters in a row they made $3B in OI.

 

[clarker99]

I don't have an opinion on the sale of Linear assets. I am just trying to show that Linear is a lot of profit to walk away from which is why they have not sold. The Studios are in a record losing slump and DTC is about 2 quarters from break-even.

If you are concerned about money being taken from DPEP and feeding DMED then selling Networks would pretty much guarantee that happens.

 

[wabbott]

I guess we'll find out. IMO, the ABC sale will happen, and sooner rather than later. If it's a blunder Iger gets the blame and his legacy is tarnished for all time. He doesn't want that to happen.

 

[Jwaire]

The talks are happening. I am just trying to counter the narrative that ABC is being sold for a pittance.

I also want investors on this thread to realize that the last 4 quarters Linear Networks have produced $6.7B in PROFIT. I have no clue how much of that is related to ABC and its affiliates but all together legacy media still is the major profit centre for TWDC. The narrative that Linear is near bankrupt is not true. Yes, it is in decline and will likely continue to decline. But if you sell off you leave a $6B Operating Income hole and nothing currently to make any of that up.

You don't need to convince us. Convince Bob Iger.

These are Nielsen total average viewer numbers (in thousands) for the end of 2022 for Disney owned stations. Just for comparison, I added NBC and CBS.

I'm sure I missed a few sister cable channels.

Ranking	Network	Avg. Viewers (000)	YOY
#1	NBC	5,148	-7%
#2	CBS	5,144	-8%
#3	ABC	3,867	-6%
#6	ESPN	1,877	+14%
#28	A&E	508	-10%
#33	FX	462	-9%
#39	Nat Geo	356	-16%
#41	ESPN 2	335	+8%
#43	Freeform	301	-32%
#53	FXX	246	+23%
#74	Disney JR	183	-29%
#77	Disney Channel	178	-25%
#101	FX Movie Channel	80	-12%
#118	Disney XD	53	-36%
#123	ESPN U	49	-11%
#137	ESPN Deportes	24	+4%
#144	Nat Geo Mundo	17	-6%

https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/most-watched-channels-2022-tv-network-ratings-1235475170/

 

[wabbott]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/com...departs/ar-AA1gMKQ4?ocid=finance-verthp-feeds
Disney Chief Information Officer Departs
Story by Jessica Toonkel, Robbie Whelan
Sept. 15, 2023 4:05 pm EDT

Disney’s chief information officer has left the company, the second C-level executive to leave in under three months as Chief Executive Bob Iger remakes the entertainment giant.

Diane Jurgens left the company earlier this month after three years in the role, according to people familiar with the matter. Disney announced in June that Christine McCarthy, its chief financial officer, was leaving to take a medical absence.

Jurgens joined Disney in October of 2020 under then-CEO Bob Chapek and was responsible for Disney’s enterprise technology organization globally.

Jurgens didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Updates to follow as news develops.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

They should just sell the 20th Century Studios IP, library, and asset instead of selling ABC, Nat Geo, and FX.

 

[wabbott]

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/tv-ratings-thursday-sept-14-2023-1235591931/

TV Ratings: ‘Thursday Night Football’ Hits Amazon High
The NFL's weeknight game scores its biggest audience since moving to streaming.

by Rick Porter - September 15, 2023 3:29pm PDT

Thursday Night Football scored its biggest audience since moving to streaming with its opening game of the 2023 season.

The Philadelphia Eagles’ 34-28 win over the Minnesota Vikings averaged 15.05 million viewers on Amazon’s Prime Video and local broadcast outlets in the teams’ home markets, according to Nielsen. That’s the largest audience, by about 2 million viewers, since the weeknight NFL showcase moved to Prime Video last year and up 15.5 percent from the previous high mark: 13.03 million for the opener last year.

And, per a customized report that integrates first-party streaming data with Nielsen’s national panel figures, the game averaged 16.6 million viewers across all platforms (including Twitch and NFL digital properties) and inclusive of computer and mobile devices.

TNF averaged about 9.6 million viewers last season in Nielsen’s ratings, somewhat below prior years when telecasts aired on Fox and the NFL Network (with the latter having a handful of exclusive contests). Amazon’s own figures for the games, which combine proprietary data with the Nielsen numbers, were somewhat higher, but the ad business for the games is determined by the Nielsen figures.

Nielsen had planned to incorporate some first-party data into Thursday Night Football‘s national ratings this season, but delayed implementing the combined numbers after criticism from other NFL broadcasters and an industry trade group, as well as the fact that the plan had yet to receive approval from the Media Rating Council, a regulatory body that accredits media measurement companies.

The higher number for Thursday’s game is Nielsen calls a custom integrated live streaming report. It combines Nielsen’s panel-based measurement with data from Amazon’s first party viewing signal, which is aggregated from connected TV devices.

 

[wabbott]

They should just sell the 20th Century Studios IP, library, and asset instead of selling ABC, Nat Geo, and FX.

There would have to be a buyer for a sale to take place. Who would buy it and at what price? Right now, tonight, it appears that there is a buyer willing to pay $10 billion for ABC plus a few cable channels. That is if the reporting today is accurate.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

The truth is that without ABC, FX, etc., then Disney’s pursuit for getting all of Hulu is OFF! Let Comcast have it.

 

[wabbott]

The truth is that without ABC, FX, etc., then Disney’s pursuit for getting all of Hulu is OFF! Let Comcast have it.

I don't understand that. Hulu is via streaming and ABC, etc are all cable or over-the-air. Additionally, Hulu is demand view, while linear is pre-programmed. That is conventional cable airs what they decide when they want to. Streaming allows viewers to control what/when they view.

As far as advertising, streaming will eventually have just as many commercials as cable or over-the-air. May as well get used to it.