http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-disney03sep03.story?coll=la%2Dheadlines%2Dbusiness

Short snip:

>>But the seemingly mundane progamming change to replace the "Vault Disney" classics with teen and preteen dramas such as "Lizzie McGuire" and "Kim Possible" has created an uproar among older die-hard Disney fans, who see the move as the latest affront to the Walt Disney Co.'s heritage.<<

No matter what they say, niche marketing to preteens on a non-ad supported channel (that has only grown in viewership becuase it changed from pay to basic) is a redranding decision, not commercial necessity. The Channel, which supposedly defines the Disney brand, should be about the new and the old, mixed seamlessly as it has always been. They simply refuse to try to sell anything "old".

The company is not benefitting from rebranding, as the bottom line clearly shows over the past five years.

If they consider Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck irrelevant to children, what is the company all about anyway?

Stupid "registration required"... MJ (and everyone else), when you post a link to a site that requires registration to read the story, could you be sure to mention that in your post? Thanks.

I wonder if this is just Disney acknowleding that Mickey, Donald and the gang may be slipping into the public domain if they can't get yet another extension on current copyright laws?

Why invest in promoting characters that they may soon lose control over.

It makes no sense to me why they are concerned about airing 24 hour a day children's programming. I would hope that no one who actually watches "Kim Possible" is up at 2:30 in the morning like I usually am.

I used to love Vault Disney programming, but since summer started it's only been a shell of its former self. Endless reruns of Spin and Marty and Zorro. Seen them all.

I have to wonder if Disney isn't planning a premium cable "Classics" channel. What plays on Toon Disney? We don't get it in our cable area. Is it vintage toons?

If you don't have an LATimes subscription/registration, here is another link to the same story reprinted in Orlando Sentinel:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/orl-bizdisney03090302sep03.story

Originally posted by blusilva
I have to wonder if Disney isn't planning a premium cable "Classics" channel. What plays on Toon Disney? We don't get it in our cable area. Is it vintage toons?

Toon Disney is about 90% "Disney Afternoon" and 10% classic toons. Mostly they play "Aladdin", "Goof Troop", "Quack Pack", "Duck Tales", etcetera ad infinitum.

Originally posted by merlinjones
If you don't have an LATimes subscription/registration, here is another link to the same story reprinted in Orlando Sentinel:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/orl-bizdisney03090302sep03.story

Thanks. Just amazing. Well, maybe "amazing" is the wrong word, since it implies surprise. I can't be surprised anymore about the complete lack of creative or intelligent thought at Disney in the last several years.

In a seemingly endless series of "final straws", will this really be the one? How many times have I thought that now? :confused:

"The Disney Channel is a service for kids and their families; it's not a general entertainment service for everybody," said Richard Ross, the Disney Channel's president of entertainment. "We can't be all things for all people."

No, it's not for everybody, but it's for families. And last I checked, families included adults and children. What is it about Valt Disney programing that doesn't fit that bill? Because it's too old? Peh. Read the Disney Magazine where parents send in pictures of their kids dressing up as Walt for school reports and tell me kids of all ages can have interest in the history of a company. And why does he assume that Vault programming falls under "general entertainment?" It's not "general", it's "Disney", and that's what people go to the Disney channel for.

If they were so worried about the ratings, why didn't they dig further into the Vault and show more of what they had?

Originally posted by Andrew
Thanks. Just amazing. Well, maybe "amazing" is the wrong word, since it implies surprise. I can't be surprised anymore about the complete lack of creative or intelligent thought at Disney in the last several years.

I'm not so sure anymore if it's a lack of creative thought or even intelligent thought. They seem dead set on actively distancing DisCo from Walt Disney himself and his brand of family entertainment. It seems pretty methodical. I'm sure that it's considered to be a solid long term growth plan for the 21st century by the suits.

They no longer believe that Walt Disney's type of entertainment is relevant for 21st century tastes. Yet, they are literally dependent on his name and product to keep the company viable, because there are still generations of people who remember him and his work - even those of us born within 20 years after his death. I wonder how long it will take....a good 40 or 50 years?....until the Disney name is "clean" of any association with what Walt started.

In a seemingly endless series of "final straws", will this really be the one? How many times have I thought that now? :confused:

I personally don't know if I'd have a final straw, short of the complete "refurbishment" of Disneyland itself into a park as bland, tasteless, unentertaining and sterile as DCA.

"As long as there's imagination left in the world......" I bet Uncle Walt couldn't possibly have conceived of a time when there really isn't. Not under his roof and in his name, anyway.

Well, let's see... I don't shop at the Disney Store, anymore. I don't watch the Disney Channel, anymore. What else do they not want me to do? Oh, wait! My bad-- I don't have kids who watch empty shows that claim to be "illuminating", or want plastic Ariel bubble-blowers! Guess I'm just not part of the solution, huh?
Seriously, when are they going to fire the stupid people and start getting good, again? Cause they need to be saved, but whoever takes the reigns for the Disney Corporation is going to have to perform miracles!