Anne Sweeney at CES

Well, it’s been a busy couple of weeks for the Disney Company no?

I’ve read this, and that, and even more about Shanghai, extended park deals, and the popularity of the free on your b-day in California vs. in Florida.  It’s been busy.

Those of you who have read this site in the past though know that I’m interested in the business behind the Mouse as much as anything else.  So I like listening to the exec’s and conference calls and other business related stuff to see what’s really going on and where things are going at a more business macro level.

That’s why I find online information like the recent speech Anne Sweeney gave at CES so interesting.  These people are either telling us where they are going openly, or telling you where they are going between the lines.  Disney is as good as anybody at communicating in both ways just like anybody else.

So when Anne tells us that lots of people were upset when they tried the iTunes thing whereas today it’s taken for granted, just 2 short year after introduction, across almost all the media networks that we consumers can get access to our favorite shows in a variety of ways, we should probably be paying attention.  Anne notes that while they consider the iTunes model of tens of millions of downloads successful, they consider the ABC AD-SUPPORTED streaming player to be even more successful with HUNDREDS of millions of streamed shows all supported by ads.  Apparently you and I aren’t that bothered by ads after all if they come when we want to watch them.

Anne talks a lot in her discussion about VOD (video on demand), time shifted and traditional network formats (what are now called liner channels).  It’s interesting stuff, and the fact that something as obscure as Camp Rock can launch an online campaign as little as 3 days before it shows on the Disney Channel and then go on to be the most watched cable channel show of the YEAR surely says something for where we are in regards to media consumption. 

You can watch Anne’s talk too right here.  It’s about 30 minutes in length and full of interesting little statistics, facts, and even previews of this season’s upcoming run of LOST.