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Technology Stocks : Walt Disney -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Tradegod who wrote (442)	3/4/1998 9:26:00 AM
From: Zoltan!	Respond to of 2222

I think CNBC is confused. They meant to say that about GE, not DIS. It was just disclosed that NBC is not getting anything near the $2 million per commercial slot they said that they would get for the end of Seinfield. Also looks like NBC will have a ratings collapse next year. Btw, the Disney Channel added 2,000,000 subscribers in February!

To: Tradegod who wrote (442)	3/5/1998 1:48:00 AM
From: capitalistbeatnik	Respond to of 2222

CNBC is not confused. There were multiple downgrades based upon disappointing films that just came out as well as concern about El Nino effects on attendance at theme parks. The stock has been poised for this fall for quite a while. Don't let Marcus V. the faux-attorney change the subject and spin this as an NBC problem.

To: Tradegod who wrote (442)	3/5/1998 2:57:00 AM
From: Zoltan!	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 2222

Good article in today's WSJ: excerpt: Disney's difficulties at the box office this quarter reflect the company's decision to aim its big films for summer and holiday release. The summer run begins in May with Robert Redford's "The Horse Whisperer," then continues with the animated "Mulan" in June and the live-action Bruce Willis epic "Armageddon." Disney's line-up all but ignored the current quarter, and even films that had a faint hope of becoming a hit have underperformed. That has partly been a function of the strength of "Titanic," the co-production of Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures and News Corp.'s 20th Century Fox units, which has shut out every competitor as it breaks box-office records. Disney's film line-up in the quarter has included "Kundun," a Dalai Lama tale directed by Martin Scorsese; "Krippendorf's Tribe," a comedy starring Richard Dreyfuss; the action film "Deep Rising"; and "An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn," which opened in limited release last weekend to some of the worst reviews in memory. With "Krippendorf's Tribe" Disney thought it had a chance at a modest hit, based on the presence of Mr. Dreyfuss and hot TV star Jenna Elfman. But the film earned just $3.2 million in its opening, which was last weekend. Some Disney observers have been concerned that El Nino-related storms in California, and recent tornadoes in Orlando, Fla., would curtail attendance at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. But at Disney's annual meeting in Kansas City, Mo., last week, chairman and chief executive Michael Eisner dismissed concerns about the weather and the company has told analysts it expects theme-park attendance to be largely unaffected. interactive.wsj.com You can try shorting Disney, but I doubt it'll be profitable for you - just ask all the literal losers who still have short positions. Just look at this, again from today's WSJ: Advertising: New Mission for Mickey Mouse, Mickey D ---- By Richard Gibson and Bruce Orwall Staff Reporters of The Wall Street Journal Can Bruce Willis do what Ronald McDonald couldn't -- sell hamburgers to adults? McDonald's is making a marketing megabet that after defending Earth from an approaching asteroid in the upcoming Disney film "Armageddon," Mr. Willis will find it a snap to move burgers and fries. Until now, the fast-food giant has used Disney magic mainly to tighten its grip on the kids' market, which it still dominates. But it needs more than kids to jump-start its sluggish domestic sales. So McDonald's is counting on "Armageddon" to create a buzz among adults. According to an internal marketing memorandum, McDonald's is planning an extraordinary six-week promotion beginning in early July, complete with such prizes as a chance to meet Mr. Willis, a trip to the 1999 Academy Awards and memorabilia from the movie. And, in another first, the movie's hot director, Michael Bay, is slated to direct McDonald's commercials, using the movie's spooky asteroid set...... interactive.wsj.com