The Walt Disney company is said to be preparing a bid for online streaming service Netflix.
Wall Street chatter sent the Netflix share price up 4% on Monday – just days after Disney had been linked with another tech property – Twitter.
Paolo Pescatore of analyst CCS Insight told Broadband TV News having long argued that Netflix should be a target for the leading web providers, in recent months the case had emerged for Disney. “Netflix is global, an established and proven platform and available on a plethora of devices. This would be goldmine for Disney given its growing presence in online video and represents a great channel for distributing the slew of Disney content around the world. Furthermore it offers plentiful opportunities to reach new audiences.”
Disney has been making steps in the over-the-top arena. It has the direct-to-consumer DisneyLife and as video-on-demand services made their mark, Disney content was among the first to be carried. Guy Bisson of Ampere Analysis had been expecting a studio to make a bid for Netflix for some time. “Disney already ha a strong relationship through
Guy Bisson of Ampere Analysis had been expecting a studio to make a bid for Netflix for some time. “Disney already ha a strong relationship through exclusive content deal in the United States. Netflix has been increasing originals for kids recently and kids content represents more than 10% of library,” he said. “Disney’s demographic has been moving to SVOD and tablet viewing faster than any other.”
Disney’s largest shareholder is a trust fund set up following the death of Apple founder Steve Jobs.
