Classic Disney shows to be offered on the internet

[adimike]

from the New York Times/ Bloomberg News [Hey, Randy, any news on what may be offered?]

Disney to Offer Some Vintage TV Series on Its Web Site


By BLOOMBERG NEWS
Published: March 7, 2008
The Walt Disney Company will begin showing its classic television shows on the Internet, its chief executive, Robert A. Iger, told shareholders on Thursday.

?In the near future, you?ll see more of that product available on Disney.com, either for free or through some sort of subscription,? Mr. Iger, 57, said at the company?s annual meeting. ?Providing physical goods on DVD is tougher and tougher these days because shelf space is limited.?

Disney, producer of the ?Zorro? and ?Davy Crockett? TV series in the 1950s, is expanding Web revenue by selling programs from ABC and the Disney Channel on Apple?s iTunes Store and offering ad-supported episodes online. ?Star Trek? from CBS and ?The A-Team? from NBC have been added to those networks? Web sites. Mr. Iger did not say which shows Disney would provide.

 

[MousekeTodd]

Yes, I found this out yesterday. This is GREAT NEWS to me! I'm a fan of classic Disney live-action and animated fare, and would like very much to have more than what's been released on DVD, like seasons of the original Mickey Mouse Club, Disney serials, etc. And I'm not a baby boomer who longs for childhood shows from the '50s -- I was born in 1968.

I'd certainly buy classic Disney from iTunes -- I've already got a number of the cartoon shorts sold there. Even though I own all of this content with the Walt Disney Treasures, I still enjoy carrying Disney cartoons on my iPod to watch whenever I want!

Here are links to additional articles:

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/ca6539328.html

http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/3/disney_...intage_tv_binge

http://www.worldscreen.com/newscurrent.php...isney030708.htm

 

[X-S Tech]

I'm not much into watching stuff on my computer even if it's somethiing I really want to see. However if I could download episodes of the Disney Anthology series, in high quality, and then burn it to a DVD to watch on my TV, that would be perfect.

 

[adimike]

Neither am I, but I'd rather have it this way, than not be able to see these at all. I've always been hoping they would build a DVD subscription service, ala Time-Life, that would send a new set of classic shows every month, or allow some Manufacturing On Demand. I truly beleive that most of us would pay a bit of a premium for this, recognizing that the mass market for this might be small.

Since Vault Disney disappeared years ago, this may be the only way to see some of these things.