http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=businessNews&storyID=6363544

QuikQuote: President Robert Iger said on Wednesday that a new deal between the media conglomerate and Pixar Animation Studios was "unlikely" and that it had been approached to buy UK media assets. Iger said that partnerships such as the one Disney had with Pixar to distribute its films often "outgrow one another."
"If it's not Pixar, it will be someone else," Iger told an audience at the Royal Television Society's international conference in London. He also said Disney had been approached to buy UK television channel ITV as well some assets of the BBC.

Here is a related quote, from a Bloomberg news story...

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/29/business/media/29disney.html?ex=1097121600&en=7a28858765792a47&ei=5006&partner=ALTAVISTA1

QuikQuote: "The board has now woken up to the fact they need to get a new C.E.O. and Michael needs to be out," Mr. Gold said in an interview.

It seems that having Mr. Iger make the announcement of business deals instead of Eisner is an attempt to have Iger be seen as more involved with the overall corporate dealings of the Walt Disney Company. That and a try at playing hardball (if you look at the stocks today it worked). I predict you'll see much more of this right away so that Eisner's candidate can be seen as a "truly involved" person and ready for the post of CEO.

It seems that having Mr. Iger make the announcement of business deals instead of Eisner is an attempt to have Iger be seen as more involved with the overall corporate dealings of the Walt Disney Company. That and a try at playing hardball (if you look at the stocks today it worked). I predict you'll see much more of this right away so that Eisner's candidate can be seen as a "truly involved" person and ready for the post of CEO.

I agree, olegc. I think they are "test driving" Mr. Iger in a more assertive management roll at Disney, since Pixar hasn't signed with anyone else yet the statement concerning Pixar is "hardball" as you so well put it, and "saber rattling" that came to my mind.

Thursday September 30 and Friday October 1 are important annual dates at Disney corporate, the end of Fiscal 2004 and the start of Fiscal 2005. Disney possibly is setting the stage leading up to the next Shareholders' meeting by having Mr. Iger make such a statement in Fiscal 2004 4th Quarter, and who knows what will happen in Fiscal 2005 1st Quarter or following.

When Pixar's formally and high-profile announced they have in fact signed with someone else, that is when I'll believe it and know it. Otherwise I think this announcement of Mr. Iger's is a nuance in the game of corporate negotiation and posturing going on.

Sounds like Eisner. That can't be good.
Buying Pixar would seal the deal. Sell ABC and buy Pixar.

How much is ABC worth compared to Pixar?

Of course, there is no evidence at all that Pixar is for sale...

-Jeff

Well, DIS would have to lump ESPN in there. Then, it can buy five Pixars.

Pixar is worth right now about $4.44 Billion. It doesn't have to be for sale.
Do you want to own some of Pixar? Buy the stock. Yes, it really is that easy.
Do you want to own a lot of Pixar? Well, you'd have to buy Jobs' shares. And even then, I don't see (at Yahoo!) that he owns any shares.
Still, he has the power to say, "No, we don't want you to buy that many shares. We will initiate and activate poison pills that will make it impossible for you to control this company even if you own the shares."

Jobs is only worth $2.2 billion. He might consider an extra billion to be a lot.