For this assignment I have to look at two different media companies and describe their ownership structure.
The two companies I have chosen are;
Disney and
Guardian Media Group
DISNEY
Stewart's book describes some of the following:
The two companies I have chosen are;
Disney and
Guardian Media Group
DISNEY
The Walt Disney Company is the largest multinational media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio the company was reincorporated as Walt Disney Productions, Ltd. in 1929, and became publicly-traded as Walt Disney Productions in 1938.
This cross-media company, together with its subsidiaries, is a diversified worldwide entertainment company with operations in four business segments:
· Media Networks
· Parks and Resorts
· Studio Entertainment
· and Consumer Products
MEDIA NETWORKS
Disney owns and operates the ABC broadcast television network and cable television networks such as Disney Channel, ESPN, and ABC Family.
PARKS AND RESORTS
There are 14 theme parks all around the world.
STUDIO ENTERTAINMENT
The Studio Entertainment unit is the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built, and at its heart are world-renowned animated features and live-action motion pictures.
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures distributes feature films produced under the following banners: Walt Disney Pictures (which includes Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation and DisneyToon Studios), Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures and Disneynature
CONSUMER PRODUCTS
Disney Consumer Products (DCP) is a division of The Walt Disney Company that engages in merchandizing of the Disney brand and Disney properties, including Disney movies and The Disney Channel television shows. Its merchandise includes apparel, toys, home décor, books, magazines, interactive games, food and beverages, stationery, electronics, and animation art. The Disney Store, which first opened in 1987, also falls under DCP.
Disney is headquartered in Burbank, California in the USA and was founded by Walt and Roy Disney in Los Angeles. The Chairman of Disney is John E. Pepper Jr and the CEO and President is Robert Iger.
Shortly after his 2005 takeover of the company, Robert Iger was aware that the relationship between Disney and Pixar Animation Studios was becoming strained. He began negotiations with Steve Jobs and Ed Catmull, about a possible merger with the two.
Disney has had their fair share of criticism since its establishment in 1923;
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
· Religious welfare groups, such as the Catholic League, have spoken out against the release of material which they and others found offensive, protesting against the Miramax Films features Priest (1994) and Dogma (1999). Disney pushed back the release date for Dogma due to the controversy surrounding the movie, and eventually sold the distribution rights to Lions Gate Films. The ABC show Nothing Sacred, about a priest, a book called Growing Up Gay (published by Disney-owned Hyperion Press), the annual Gay and Lesbian Days at Disney theme parks, and similar issues spurred boycotts of Disney and its advertisers by the Catholic League, the Assemblies of God, and other conservative groups.
· It has been criticized also by animal welfare groups, for their care of and procedures for wild animals at Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park, and for using purebred dogs in movies such as 101 Dalmatians. Animal rights groups claim movies with purebreds create an artificial demand for purebreds from people who may not be prepared or temperamentally suited for the animals, many of whom end up abandoned or surrendered to animal shelters or rescue groups.
SUBLIMINAL MESSAGES
There are several conspiracy theories about Disney having sexual innuendo or references hidden in some of their animated movies.
· In the movie Lion King, it was alleged that during a scene the word ‘SEX’ was spotted written in the clouds. Tom Sito, a Disney animator, denied the allegation and claimed the word spotted in the clouds was actually ‘SFX’ – which is an abbreviation of the words ‘sound effects’
· In Who Framed Roger Rabbit a scene drew attention to viewers when Jessica Rabbit revealed what was under her dress in which nothing was drawn. This scene wasn't noticed until 1994 during the film's laserdisc release. This discovery caught the attention of major news media.
· In The Little Mermaid, a castle, one of the character’s homes, is displayed on the cover for the Classics VHS cassette when the film was first released in 1990. Close examination of the cover artwork shows an oddly shaped structure on the castle, closely resembling a penis. Disney and the cover designer insist it was an accident, resulting from a late night rush job to finish the cover artwork. The questionable object does not appear on the cover of the second releasing of the movie.
· In the same movie, a character is apparently shown to have an erection during a wedding scene. A small bulge is slightly noticeable in a few of the frames, but was later shown to be his knees. A woman filed suit against Disney in 1995, but dropped the charges two months later. Because of the controversy, in the 2006 Platinum Edition DVD, the scene was altered so his knee is now not visible.
‘DISNEYWAR’
DisneyWar is an exposé of Michael Eisner's 20-year tenure as Chairman and CEO at The Walt Disney Company by James B. Stewart, an American lawyer, journalist and author.Stewart's book describes some of the following:
- Roy E. Disney's (Walt Disney’s nephew) abrupt resignation in November 2003
- The Comcast hostile takeover attempt
- Financing of the film Fahrenheit 9/11
- The 2004 Shareholders' meeting that led to Eisner's resignation as Chairman
- Eisner's friendship-turned-rivalry with Jeffrey Katzenberg
- Eisner's tension with Frank Wells before Wells' death
- Eisner's tension with Michael Ovitz during Ovitz's short-lived presidency
- Pixar's decision not to renew its relationship with Disney
- The purchase of the ABC Family channel and its content and the fallout resulting from Disney's inability to revive it.
- The struggle to get Who Framed Roger Rabbit made in time and on budget despite the big egos of Robert Zemeckis and Richard Williams.
- Roy E. Disney and Stanley Gold's removal of Disney CEO Ron W. Miller in 1984.
- Hilary Duff's decision to quit the Disney Channel because of low salary.
‘SOUTH PARK’
In the adult cartoon series South Park, the Jonas Brothers are parodied in an episode called ‘The Ring’. The Walt Disney Company, the Disney Channel and the Mickey Mouse cartoon character are also spoofed in the episode; even when Mickey Mouse says callous things or physically assaults people, he follows up most statements with the character's trademark high-pitched "Ha ha!" laugh, which in context comes off like a nervous tic.
In the adult cartoon series South Park, the Jonas Brothers are parodied in an episode called ‘The Ring’. The Walt Disney Company, the Disney Channel and the Mickey Mouse cartoon character are also spoofed in the episode; even when Mickey Mouse says callous things or physically assaults people, he follows up most statements with the character's trademark high-pitched "Ha ha!" laugh, which in context comes off like a nervous tic.
Although billed as a Jonas Brothers parody, it is mostly a parody of the ethos of Disney. The episode portrays Disney as a corporation using the ruse of family-friendly morals to disguise their primary motive - profit. This point is illustrated by the use of Mickey Mouse, a cartoon symbol for the wholesome Disney image, as a foul-mouthed, greedy, all-powerful and violent character. The episode further illustrates the greed of corporate culture by portraying Mickey as capitalizing on religion for profit, while secretly mocking it in a particularly cruel tone:
"I've made billions off of Christian ignorance for decades now! And do you know why? Because Christians are retarded! They believe in a talking dead guy! Ha ha!”
PARKS AND RESORTS
· In May 1992, it was reported that about 25% of Euro Disney's workforce — approximately 3,000 men and women — had resigned their jobs due to unacceptable working conditions.
· Two architects alleged that they approached the Walt Disney Company in 1987 with plans for a sports complex, and that Disney’s Wide World of Sports, which opened 10 years later, was heavily based on their designs. Disney claimed that, while the designs had some similarities, the concept of a sports park was too generic for any one group to claim ownership. The two men sued Disney. In August 2000, a jury returned a verdict for the plaintiffs with damages in the amount of $240 million, a fraction of the $1.5 billion sought. Disney appealed the judgment, and settled out of court in September 2002 for undisclosed terms.
· Even in planning stages, various animal rights groups didn't like the idea of Disney creating a theme park where animals were held in captivity. The groups protested, and tried to convince travel agents not to book trips to the park. A few weeks before the park opened, a number of animals died due to accidents. The United States Department of Agriculture viewed most of the cases and found no violations of animal-welfare regulations. On opening day, the Orange County Sheriff's office sent about 150 deputies in fear that there may be a large protest, but only two dozen protesters showed up. The protest lasted two hours, and there were no arrests.
· Disney originally planned to serve shark fin soup, a traditional Chinese delicacy, at wedding banquets at Hong Kong Disneyland. Animal rights groups protested in June 2005, citing the declining shark population in global waters and the cruel methods sometimes used of cutting the fin and discarding the live sharks back into the water. After constant pressure from environmental groups and schoolchildren, Disney announced on 24 June 2005 that shark fin soup will not be on the menu.
GUARDIAN MEDIA GROUP
Guardian Media Group plc (GMG) is a company of the United Kingdom owning various mass media operations. It was founded as the Manchester Guardian Ltd in 1907 when C. P. Scott bought the Manchester Guardian from the estate of his cousin Edward Taylor. It became the Manchester Guardian and Evening News Ltd when it bought out the Manchester Evening News in 1924, later becoming the Guardian and Manchester Evening News Ltd to reflect the change in the morning paper's title. It adopted its current name in 1993.
GMG is a privately held media company which also is split up into four business segments:
· Newspapers
· Radio Stations
· Broadcasting
· and Websites
NEWSPAPERS
The newspapers that GMG operate are The Guardian and The Observer – which is widely regarded as The Guardian’s ‘sister paper’ or ‘The Guardian on Sunday’.
The newspapers that GMG operate are The Guardian and The Observer – which is widely regarded as The Guardian’s ‘sister paper’ or ‘The Guardian on Sunday’.
RADIO STATIONS
The radio stations that GMG operate are nationwide regional stations under the Smooth, Real and Rock radio brands.
The radio stations that GMG operate are nationwide regional stations under the Smooth, Real and Rock radio brands.
BROADCASTING
GMG owned The Manchester Evening News newspaper for many years but in 2010, the group sold its GMG Regional Media division to Trinity Mirror plc for a total of £44.8 million. This included 31 local and regional newspaper titles being sold. The division's local television station for Greater Manchester, Channel M, and two newspapers in Woking were not included in the sale, so Channel M is the main broadcasting station owned by GMG.
WEBSITES
GMG run the Guardian website – www.guardian.co.uk – and as they run the Auto Trader magazine, they also operate the company’s website too. GMG Property Services (estate agency software providers Vebra and Core, lettings software provider CFP Software, graphic design consultancy The Media Design House and consumer portal ThinkProperty.com are all operated by GMG.
GMG is headquartered in Manchester where it was also founded by C.P Scott. Since his death, the Scott Trust Limited owned the company, but became defunct in 2008 before being replaced by The Scott Trust Limited – although it is commonly still known as the Scott Trust.
There has also been many criticism towards GMG, and more specifically, The Guardian newspaper...
GMG owned The Manchester Evening News newspaper for many years but in 2010, the group sold its GMG Regional Media division to Trinity Mirror plc for a total of £44.8 million. This included 31 local and regional newspaper titles being sold. The division's local television station for Greater Manchester, Channel M, and two newspapers in Woking were not included in the sale, so Channel M is the main broadcasting station owned by GMG.
WEBSITES
GMG run the Guardian website – www.guardian.co.uk – and as they run the Auto Trader magazine, they also operate the company’s website too. GMG Property Services (estate agency software providers Vebra and Core, lettings software provider CFP Software, graphic design consultancy The Media Design House and consumer portal ThinkProperty.com are all operated by GMG.
GMG is headquartered in Manchester where it was also founded by C.P Scott. Since his death, the Scott Trust Limited owned the company, but became defunct in 2008 before being replaced by The Scott Trust Limited – although it is commonly still known as the Scott Trust.
There has also been many criticism towards GMG, and more specifically, The Guardian newspaper...
ACCUSATIONS OF BIAS IN COVERAGE OF ISRAEL
In recent decades The Guardian has been accused of exaggerating criticism of Israeli government policy. In December 2003 columnist Julie Burchill cited "striking bias against the state of Israel" as one of the reasons she left the paper. Greville Janner, former president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, has accused The Guardian of being "viciously and notoriously anti-Israel”.
Responding to these accusations, a Guardian editorial in 2002 condemned anti-Semitism and defended the paper's right to criticise the policies and actions of the Israeli government, arguing that those who view such criticism as anti-Jewish are mistaken.
In recent decades The Guardian has been accused of exaggerating criticism of Israeli government policy. In December 2003 columnist Julie Burchill cited "striking bias against the state of Israel" as one of the reasons she left the paper. Greville Janner, former president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, has accused The Guardian of being "viciously and notoriously anti-Israel”.
Responding to these accusations, a Guardian editorial in 2002 condemned anti-Semitism and defended the paper's right to criticise the policies and actions of the Israeli government, arguing that those who view such criticism as anti-Jewish are mistaken.
‘OPERATION CLARK COUNTY’
In August 2004, for the US presidential election, the daily G2 supplement launched an experimental letter-writing campaign in Clark County, Ohio in the USA. G2 editor Ian Katz bought a voter list from the county for $25 and asked readers to write to people listed as undecided in the election, giving them an impression of the international view and the importance of voting against US President George W. Bush. The paper scrapped "Operation Clark County" in October 2004 after first publishing a column of complaints about the campaign under the headline "Dear Limey assholes". The public backlash against the campaign likely contributed to Bush's victory in Clark County.
In August 2004, for the US presidential election, the daily G2 supplement launched an experimental letter-writing campaign in Clark County, Ohio in the USA. G2 editor Ian Katz bought a voter list from the county for $25 and asked readers to write to people listed as undecided in the election, giving them an impression of the international view and the importance of voting against US President George W. Bush. The paper scrapped "Operation Clark County" in October 2004 after first publishing a column of complaints about the campaign under the headline "Dear Limey assholes". The public backlash against the campaign likely contributed to Bush's victory in Clark County.
GAGGED FROM REPORTING PARLIAMENT
In October 2009, The Guardian reported that it was forbidden to report on a parliamentary matter, namely a question recorded in a Commons order paper, to be answered by a minister later that week. The paper noted that it was being "forbidden from telling its readers why the paper is prevented - for the first time in memory - from reporting parliament. Legal obstacles, which cannot be identified, involve proceedings, which cannot be mentioned, on behalf of a client who must remain secret. The only fact the Guardian can report is that the case involves the London solicitors Carter-Ruck." The paper further claimed that this case appears "to call into question privileges guaranteeing free speech established under the 1688 Bill of Rights". The only parliamentary question mentioning Carter-Ruck in the relevant period was by Paul Farrelly MP, in reference to legal action by Barclays and Trafigura. The part of the question referencing Carter-Ruck relates to the latter company's September 2009 gagging order on the publication of a 2006 internal report into the 2006 Côte d'Ivoire toxic waste dump scandal, which involved a class action case that the company only settled in September 2009 after The Guardian published some of the commodity trader's internal emails. The reporting injunction was lifted the next day, as Carter-Ruck withdrew it before The Guardian could challenge it in the High Court. Alan Rusbridger, (the editor of The Guardian) credited the rapid back-down of Carter-Ruck to Twitter, as did a BBC article.
‘CONTROVERSIAL’ CARTOONS
Editorial cartoonists Martin Rowson and Steve Bell have received hate mail for their treatment of topics that some deem controversial.
In October 2009, The Guardian reported that it was forbidden to report on a parliamentary matter, namely a question recorded in a Commons order paper, to be answered by a minister later that week. The paper noted that it was being "forbidden from telling its readers why the paper is prevented - for the first time in memory - from reporting parliament. Legal obstacles, which cannot be identified, involve proceedings, which cannot be mentioned, on behalf of a client who must remain secret. The only fact the Guardian can report is that the case involves the London solicitors Carter-Ruck." The paper further claimed that this case appears "to call into question privileges guaranteeing free speech established under the 1688 Bill of Rights". The only parliamentary question mentioning Carter-Ruck in the relevant period was by Paul Farrelly MP, in reference to legal action by Barclays and Trafigura. The part of the question referencing Carter-Ruck relates to the latter company's September 2009 gagging order on the publication of a 2006 internal report into the 2006 Côte d'Ivoire toxic waste dump scandal, which involved a class action case that the company only settled in September 2009 after The Guardian published some of the commodity trader's internal emails. The reporting injunction was lifted the next day, as Carter-Ruck withdrew it before The Guardian could challenge it in the High Court. Alan Rusbridger, (the editor of The Guardian) credited the rapid back-down of Carter-Ruck to Twitter, as did a BBC article.
‘CONTROVERSIAL’ CARTOONS
Editorial cartoonists Martin Rowson and Steve Bell have received hate mail for their treatment of topics that some deem controversial.
· There was a disagreement over a set of strips showing the Ayatollah and the Pope. As Bell admitted, "I dragged the Pope into it for no reason, and he (the editor, not the Pope) got stroppy about that. I didn't want to change it, because there was nothing much I could change. What happened there was he just didn't run them."
· In 1983 there were further problems when the Guardian was taken to the Press Council for Bell's depiction of Henry Kissinger as a giant turkey with a German accent.
· In 1987 Bell's "If...” strip was characterised in the House of Lords, by a former Labour Foreign Secretary, as "a series of almost obscene lampoons on the President of the United States."
After researching both media companies, my opinion is...
I would prefer to have a company privately owned like GMG. This is because, although you wont make as much money as a huge company like Disney, you dont get half of the criticism that Disney would get. This is because Disney own so many other companies that when a certain individual error is made by one of the small companies, it is Disney who has to take responsibilty and the blame for their mistake, as they allowed it to happen under their leadership. So, it is their name that gets rubbed in the mud, rather than the individual company that actually made the mistake.
I would prefer to have a company privately owned like GMG. This is because, although you wont make as much money as a huge company like Disney, you dont get half of the criticism that Disney would get. This is because Disney own so many other companies that when a certain individual error is made by one of the small companies, it is Disney who has to take responsibilty and the blame for their mistake, as they allowed it to happen under their leadership. So, it is their name that gets rubbed in the mud, rather than the individual company that actually made the mistake.
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