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[The Faceless Master]

LOS ANGELES — The Walt Disney Co. said yesterday its president, Robert Iger, will succeed Michael Eisner as chief executive and that Eisner will leave his post one year earlier than previously announced.

The company said Iger, 54, was unanimously elected by the board Saturday and will take charge Oct. 1, the start of Disney's 2006 fiscal year. Eisner will step down the day before but remain a board member for another year. He will be paid through Sept. 30, 2006, when his contract expires.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002206755_disney14.html

 

[axxxj]

Damn it poor Walt he must be turning in his grave.

What makes this so bad is that i've just been reading The Illusion of Life by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnson. It talks about he history of Disney and the struggles they went through and how they pioneered the art form. Now look at them not even any 2D animators left that is such a shame.

They should have given it to Roy Disney, he would have at least tried to restore some dignity into the old House of mouse. It is now just another soulless Corporation (and has been for a while now)

 

[Shinobi]

The Disney guys don't seem to happy with this move...they wanted someone fresh to come in and take over. The guy who runs Miramax seems to like it, though he says that won't change whatever he decides to do. And some believe Iger has a chance to get something done with Pixar, which is obviously critical.

 

[Dan]

Disney just opened a studio for the primary purpose of continuing Pixar's franchises. Unless those films are stopped, I really don't forsee Pixar and Disney getting back together. There's no coincidence that the director of Toy Story 3 was named yesterday alongside the new CEO. Disney's not doing anything to keep Pixar, if anything they're actively destroying the relationship. Iger's just like Eisner, and Steve Jobs isn't going to like this decision.

Iger was definitely not the guy I wanted as CEO. Consider me a very annoyed Disney fan, not to mention stockholder.

 

[borghe]

I couldn't believe this. So basically nothing will change. how fucking gay.

as for this changing things with pixar, I doubt it. the grudge Jobs has with Eisner is personal, and I can't see Jobs thinking this is anything other than Eisner having his puppet put into place so he can continue to run disney for the next decade or so from behind the scenes.

that being said, I am not saying things won't change with Pixar. Just that this wouldn't be the catalyst. Make no mistake about it, Pixar WANTS to stay with Disney. No other company in the world can market their movies like Disney can.

 

[Matlock]

You'd have to remove half the board, hell, if not ALL of the board in order to restore any fairness in it.