Rumblings at Corporate Disney regarding Disney Magazine

[crazy4wdw]

There is an article at jim hill media that several executives in the company are not happy about the decision to stop publication of the Disney Magazine.

Maybe letters from disney fans will add some "fuel to the fire!".

The article is here:http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/articles/showarticle.php?ID=1389

 

[WDW_DV]

It will be interesting to see how this plays out with respect to Iger's stance that organizational units be allowed to do their own strategic planning.

Will BVM have the authority to make this kind of decision or will they still be held hostage by the wants/needs of other divisions? I am taking for granted that we the consumers will not be a factor in the decision making process...

 

[raidermatt]

This is pretty interesting.

We all saw the shutdown of the Strategic Planning group as a good thing, but I think this is a case where a PROPERLY UTILIZED strategic planning group could be a benefit.

The SP group had apparently turned into "Eisner's stormtroopers" and division heads couldn't take a dump in their own restroom without going through these guys. That's not a properly utilized strategic planning group.

But the VPs who are complaining about the magazine's shutdown do have a point. This is a case where the magazine should not simply be viewed as a separate entity, required to completely support itself. If it's providing a vehicle for the parks, merchandise, etc divisions to sell or promote their products, that should be taken into consideration before the decision is made.

That doesn't mean the decision to shutdown is a "bad" one. But it does appear that the discussion about what the magazine means to the company as a whole did not take place, which, if true, would be a "bad" thing.

This is similar to the Disney Channel's transformation. Taken as a single entity, they decided that shows that promote the parks or Disney's history were less profitable than the "teen-oriented" lineup that has largely replaced those programs. Was the impact that had to the company as a whole properly considered? I don't know, but its an interesting question, especially given that it apparently didn't happen in this case.

Clearly division heads need to be given more authority and responsibility, but Disney also has to get away from this hard and fast rule that everything has to be viewed as its own separate profit center. While "synergy" should not rule the creative process, it also should not be ignored when making financial decisions.

 

[MommyBoo!]

Well, I voiced my dissappointment. I didn't find this board until after our last two trips, but I learned a lot of little insider things from the magazine that made our trips more fun. Of course, I've seen all of those things and more on these boards, but not everyone knows about this and other sites or uses the internet much at all.

I hope they continue the magazine. I love the internet but I love to curl up and relax with a good book (or magazine) too.

 

[Plus4206]

I always prefered to leave it by the toilet.

 

[JonetteA]

For me it is the recipes and what is going on in the park. It is like being "home". Even though I collect the cookbooks, I always look forward to the recipes for the quarter.

 

[dizneyusa]

First the Magic Kingdom Club then the Disney Club and now the Magazine????

Disney really needs to REORGANIZE!!!!!!!!!!! It really confuses me how they are so quick to not only destroy jobs of most people that love that company and would do whatever possible to keep the magic going, but Disney corporate division that makes these ridiculous decisions are again taking from the general public that most of us enjoy these types of perks........and should have them. The magazine really is a great source of information, especially this year with the 50th Celebration coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tons to write about, that one, is a given, they can also maybe try some new different approaches to different articles? They can have a recommended readers poll in a upcoming issue or offer in each issue a discount coupon for Disney Deals or something for the parks??? This would be once again THANKING the consumer and show the appreciation to the customer and sell the magazine at the same time. OR now with pin trading going on and the 50th Celebration
how cool would it be to offer a special limited edition pin coupon, or a lithograph coupon etc etc etc the ideas are all there for the taking..........

We all should email or even write and try TO SAVE THE MAGAZINE!!!!!! It
really is just so sad, they should offer also a NEW REVISED DISNEY GUEST CLUB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! With different incentives..........................

But they need to give a little and a realistic coupon that really says THANK YOU to the consumer and they will see a change in the public......Right now I think would be a great time to throw out there a OMGosh DISNEY SURPRISE
50th CELEBRATION COUPON for something..............................I just think it would help and it would have to be used on ANY DISNEY ITEM.............maybe with a regular retail purchase and not sale item clause if they really had to go there?????

Well I for one will be writing away and trying to let them know we do not want to see another positive Disney item being taken away from all of us............
(Gone: Magic Kingdom Club, Disney Club, ????Magazine, Disney Local Stores
etc etc etc).............LETS GET BACK SOME MAGIC!!!!!!! We support them and deserve it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dana
dizneyusa

 

[WDW_DV]

This is pretty interesting.

We all saw the shutdown of the Strategic Planning group as a good thing, but I think this is a case where a PROPERLY UTILIZED strategic planning group could be a benefit.

The SP group had apparently turned into "Eisner's stormtroopers"

<snip>

But the VPs who are complaining about the magazine's shutdown do have a point. This is a case where the magazine should not simply be viewed as a separate entity, required to completely support itself. If it's providing a vehicle for the parks, merchandise, etc divisions to sell or promote their products, that should be taken into consideration before the decision is made.

<snip>

Clearly division heads need to be given more authority and responsibility, but Disney also has to get away from this hard and fast rule that everything has to be viewed as its own separate profit center. While "synergy" should not rule the creative process, it also should not be ignored when making financial decisions.

Excellent points. Since Disney is an enterprise that has massive potential for crossover sales I would agree that there should be communication among divisions. I guess if you had a strategic planning team that was *composed* of these division heads rather than dictating to them, things might work a little better.

 

[DancingBear]

This is a case where the magazine should not simply be viewed as a separate entity, required to completely support itself. If it's providing a vehicle for the parks, merchandise, etc divisions to sell or promote their products, that should be taken into consideration before the decision is made....

That doesn't mean the decision to shutdown is a "bad" one. But it does appear that the discussion about what the magazine means to the company as a whole did not take place, which, if true, would be a "bad" thing....

Clearly division heads need to be given more authority and responsibility, but Disney also has to get away from this hard and fast rule that everything has to be viewed as its own separate profit center.

Good points. Perhaps the answer is that if the division chiefs think this an important PR outlet, they should shift some of their marketing dollars to publishing to support the magazine.

 

[YoHo]

Hill says the Magazine had a Paid subscription base of 500,000, but you get a free subscription when you get a Disney parks AP. So, since those aren't technically paid, I wonder if they're included in that number? Clearly the magazine WAS being used as a PR tool by the PArks and the fact that they were essentially giving up revenue to (or alternatly were taking revenue from) the magazine reflects that. It doesn't seem that under such circumstances BVP should have full control over the magazine.

 

[scoutsmom99]

Hill says the Magazine had a Paid subscription base of 500,000, but you get a free subscription when you get a Disney parks AP. So, since those aren't technically paid, I wonder if they're included in that number?

Really? I never got one with my AP...to think I was paying for it and I should have gotten it for free.

 

[Plus4206]

I think they stopped the subscription perk for AP holders when they ended the Disney Club. We were sent a renewal notice a couple years ago when we were still passholders but our DC card expired. We renewed at a highly discounted DVC member price.

 

[drdelsol]

I never have recieved the magazine for free in all my years of being a pass holder. I currently have a paid multi-year subscription.

 

[DVCconvert]

I think they stopped the subscription perk for AP holders when they ended the Disney Club. We were sent a renewal notice a couple years ago when we were still passholders but our DC card expired. We renewed at a highly discounted DVC member price.

That is all correct as to current status

 

[pjpoohbear]

There was free DMag with Disney Club membership, one of the main reasons I joined. There is a deeply discounted offer with both DVC and AP groups.

Penny

 

[betterlatethannever]

We subscribed to the Disney Magazine many years ago. Right after that we joined the Disney Club. And about 3 years ago we started buying APs.

It seems that they just extended the expiration date for each of the perks each year because the expiration date on our label is currently is 2011. (gets extended a year each year we buy the APs)

Ed

 

[hugsquared]

I always prefered to leave it by the toilet.

This is EXACTLY where we keep ours

 

[ShadowWind]

I seem to remember when I got my original AP back in 92 that I was sent the magazines as part of the price. Though I may be mistaken. I think the magazine though is a good marketing gimmick for their entire synergy and it would be a mistake to give up on that. But in this day and age, with the internet the way it is, magazines are far more costly to produce on paper than on a website. They already started with the Disney Insider. It won't be long before it's all moved over.

 

[Micca]

I'm afraid I don't think it's much of a loss. I can see great photos lots of places on the web, and the detail available here at the Dis far surpasses what was in the magazine(and it's more timely).

 

[MickeyCrazed]

I'm really late in reading this thread.
What is going to happen to the money we spent for our multi-year subscription? Will we receive a refund?