Short news blurb on Disney entertainment

[Luv2Roam]

HOLLYWOOD, Jan 3 (Reuters) - The following stories appeared on the cover of Daily Variety on Friday:

* Walt Disney Co. (nyse: DIS - news - people) is expected to announce Friday the elevation of TV cartoon unit head David Stainton to president of Walt Disney Animation. He replaces Thomas Schumacher, who is relocating to New York to run the company's stage operations.

* Wednesday's Sugar Bowl college football showdown proved to be a sweet performer for ABC, while the battle in Pasadena also came up roses for the network.

* The world was just wild about "Harry" in 2002. Warner Bros. took top honors in the majors' overseas box office derby last year, thanks to a boffo run from "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets."

* Walt Disney Co. on Thursday filed a $120 million breach-of-contract lawsuit against Blockbuster Inc. (nyse: BBI - news - people) in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, alleging the home video rental firm cheated the media giant during their four-year revenue sharing plan.

* Key players in the entertainment industry declared war on each other Thursday, as Washington gets set to loosen media ownership rules and allow another tidal wave of media consolidation. Reuters/Variety

Copyright 2003, Reuters News Service

 

[Luv2Roam]

[REUTERS]
Disney to merge animation with TV unit-WSJ
Reuters, 01.03.03, 1:27 AM ET

NEW YORK, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co. (nyse: DIS - news - people) plans to merge its television-animation unit with the Disney Channel organization as part of a drive to increase production of cartoon series for its cable and broadcast networks, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

Citing people familiar with the matter, the Journal said the move is part of a broader reorganization of Disney's animation operations.

Until now, all Disney animation -- including the production of feature movies, made-for-video movies and TV series -- has been overseen by animation chief Thomas Schumacher, who also heads the company's live-theater division.

But as expected, Schumacher has decided to give up his role in animation to focus on the Broadway business.

The management shift will place 13-year Disney veteran David Stainton in charge of the feature-animation team that makes movies for theatrical release.

Disney plans to significantly boost the resources it puts into TV animation, in part because it senses a greater opportunity owing to the growth of its cable channels targeted at children, the article said.

Copyright 2003, Reuters News Service

in part because it senses a greater opportunity owing to the growth of its cable channels targeted at children,

Translation: Better than spending a lot on movies that bomb?

 

[Sarangel]

I can't say I'm terribly sanguine about the head of TV animation being made responsible for Feature Animation... Has anyone in that dept. heard of quality?

Sarangel