Quietly Keeping the Spotlight on Disney - Los Angeles Times, 10/8/06

[Darkbeer]

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...ack=crosspromo

Many Hollywood chiefs have found it impossible to say no to making more movies. Iger saw that Disney-branded family movies were a far more dependable source of profit than those aimed at adults — especially when they yield toys and other merchandise. After building a massive production and distribution system, Iger told investors last month, Disney executives had been churning out more movies, including many aimed at grown-ups, to justify the capital expense.

Iger's executives also credit him with dismantling operating silos that divided the company and hindered cooperation.

One example is in its international business, which Iger has cited as a top priority. No other country is as crucial as China, and Iger has redoubled efforts to get that government's approval for a second theme park there, in Shanghai.

Disney's chief of international strategy, Andy Bird, convinced Iger that the Broadway hit "The Lion King" should favorably impress Chinese officials — if Disney's live entertainment unit could get it to Shanghai and adapt the show culturally.

"That was literally one conversation," Bird said, and Iger made it happen.

[Mountain Man]

Mr. Iger should be looking at other parts of this country to expand the theme parks division. The addition of a Disney park on the Oregon Coast
would be welcome. see http://www.coastwatch.blogspot.com for additional ramblings on this topic under title "Pirates of The Columbia"

[Aladdin]

Back to the topic of the article,

With over a Billion people in China, it certainly
is a large untapped potential for Disney. Even
Wal Mart has made it's way into China.

But, at the same time, China has certainly been
confontational on Human Rights. And ludicrously,
China has even adopted laws opposing animation
not developed in China.

(Mountain Man you may want to start a separate topic
about what you stated, seems worthy of a separate topic
and doesn't really relate to building a theme park in China,
or cutting back on movie production talked about in the
Quote in post 1)