Entertainment Brands and Extensions

Hasbro Toys is a name most of you will recognize. Hasbro also includes television programs that have developed from the toy lines. Now, Hasbro has hired someone to head a "virtual studio" for the company. It's a virtual studio because they're in the business of developing ideas and figuring out how to get an idea monetized. Others will be hired to handle the actual production--in the traditional production studio setting.

Here's the article link. Look at the product lines owned by Hasbro. Can a board game like Trivial Pursuit become a television/cable or online media event? Look also at the other people hired for this project and where they previously worked.

Hasbro's GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra, has generated about $300 million--equally split between domestic and int'l box office revenue. That movie had a production budget of $175 million plus marketing costs.

http://www.tvweek.com/blogs/tvbizwire/2009/09/stephen-j-davis-heads-up-virtu.php

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=gijoe.htm

Disney Aquiring Marvel Entertianment

DISNEY TO ACQUIRE MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT

Worldwide leader in family entertainment agrees to acquire Marvel and its portfolio of over 5,000 characters

Acquisition highlights Disney's strategic focus on quality branded content, technological innovation and international expansion to build long-term shareholder value

Burbank, CA and New York, NY, August 31, 2009 —Building on its strategy of delivering quality branded content to people around the world, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) has agreed to acquire Marvel Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:MVL) in a stock and cash transaction, the companies announced today.

Under the terms of the agreement and based on the closing price of Disney on August 28, 2009, Marvel shareholders would receive a total of $30 per share in cash plus approximately 0.745 Disney shares for each Marvel share they own. At closing, the amount of cash and stock will be adjusted if necessary so that the total value of the Disney stock issued as merger consideration based on its trading value at that time is not less than 40% of the total merger consideration.

Based on the closing price of Disney stock on Friday, August 28, the transaction value is $50 per Marvel share or approximately $4 billion.

"This transaction combines Marvel's strong global brand and world-renowned library of characters including Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men, Captain America, Fantastic Four and Thor with Disney's creative skills, unparalleled global portfolio of entertainment properties, and a business structure that maximizes the value of creative properties across multiple platforms and territories," said Robert A. Iger, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. "Ike Perlmutter and his team have done an impressive job of nurturing these properties and have created significant value. We are pleased to bring this talent and these great assets to Disney."

"We believe that adding Marvel to Disney's unique portfolio of brands provides significant opportunities for long-term growth and value creation," Iger said.

"Disney is the perfect home for Marvel's fantastic library of characters given its proven ability to expand content creation and licensing businesses," said Ike Perlmutter, Marvel's Chief Executive Officer. "This is an unparalleled opportunity for Marvel to build upon its vibrant brand and character properties by accessing Disney's tremendous global organization and infrastructure around the world."

Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Marvel including its more than 5,000 Marvel characters. Mr. Perlmutter will oversee the Marvel properties, and will work directly with Disney's global lines of business to build and further integrate Marvel's properties.

The Boards of Directors of Disney and Marvel have each approved the transaction, which is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, certain non-United States merger control regulations, effectiveness of a registration statement with respect to Disney shares issued in the transaction and other customary closing conditions. The agreement will require the approval of Marvel shareholders. Marvel was advised on the transaction by BofA Merrill Lynch.

Read more about this here .

Media is becoming more and more portable.

I was scrolling through Billboard.com and notices an add about how Billboard is starting a subscription with AT&T which will deliver live concert moments of whomever you choose to your phone. we talked in class about how media continues to become more portable, this is defiantly evidence  of media continuing to become more portable.

You can check it out here: http://www.billboard.com/#/

At the Movies

We talked in class about the current movie trend: safe, familiar movies that don't feature big stars and are likely to be inspired by familiar subjects such as children's books, TV shows or movie franchises. Look at the number one movie last weekend...a children's book!

Cost refers to the production budget, in millions. The Informant is a Matt Damon film but it has a very modest production budget. I don't know the reason why but I would bet Damon gets a pay bump if the movie performs to some expected level.

Go to: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/ for more info.

Last Wknd Screens Ttl Gross Cost

1	N	Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs	Sony	$30,304,648	-	3,119	-	$9,716	$30,304,648	$100	1
2	N	The Informant!	WB	$10,464,314	-	2,505	-	$4,177	$10,464,314	$22	1
3	1	Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself	LGF	$9,877,436	-57.9%	2,255	-	$4,380	$37,749,545	-	2
4	N	Love Happens	Uni.	$8,057,010	-	1,898	-	$4,245	$8,057,010	$18	1
5	N	Jennifer's Body	Fox	$6,868,397

facebook decline ???

http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=139137

School's out : Are students taking a pass on facebook??

In this article, studies show that about 900,000 high school students and 1.6 million college students have suddenly gone "missing" from the facebook website. The article continues on to state that, " It's unclear and doubtful even that the students actually stopped using Facebook. The network's own date and third-party ComScore date show users under 18 and 18-24 age groups continued to grow through the period. But facebook date for advertisers show the number identifying themselves as being in high school dropped 17 % and those identifying themselves as college enrollees plummeted 22%." Studies show that the reason for the drops in facebook users is mainly because of parents, grandparents,friends of family, and teachers researching and checking up on their facebook users. Apparently, we as teens and young adults do care what others think, or at least 900,000 and 1.6 million college students do. How do you feel, If family friends studied you on facebook, would you change anything? Would you have a facebook if no privacy setting existed? Would your pictures and personal information change?