In recent years Disney has reeled off a string of mega-hits that also spawned best-selling soundtracks, including the cable movie “High School Musical” and its sequel (a third film is due in theaters this fall), and the series “Hannah Montana,” which made Ms. Cyrus one of the most recognizable faces in America, young or otherwise. While Nickelodeon still has “SpongeBob SquarePants,” the wildly popular animated series, and “iCarly,” a spinoff of “Drake and Josh,” it is in need of a new hit. To that end, immediately after this year’s “Kids’ Choice,” to be held at Pauley Pavilion here, Nickelodeon will introduce “Dance on Sunset,” a series that fuses elements of “American Bandstand” with “Dancing With the Stars.”
And the threat to their wardrobes doesn’t seem to deter most stars from taking part, whether to promote a new film (in June Mr. Black will be heard in the animated feature “Kung Fu Panda”) or to be lionized as a hero to one’s children. Last year Larry King and his wife, Shawn, accompanied their two young boys down the “orange carpet” (Nickelodeon’s trademark color), but only after Mr. King scrambled for tickets at the last minute by appealing to Sumner Redstone, the chairman of Viacom. (None of the 5,000 tickets are for sale; they are distributed to celebrities, advertisers, contest winners and children’s groups.)
“Since its inception, Disney Online has provided a safe and fun environment for children on the Internet, and has been clearly committed to promoting Internet safety practices for children,” said Jacalyn Leavitt, chair of the Internet Keep Safe Coalition. “We are excited to work with such an industry leader, with its broad reach and access to millions of children and parents, to help spread our campaign’s important message.”
Disney Online (www.disney.com) produces the number one kids’ entertainment and family community destination on the World Wide Web. Launched in 1995, Disney.com is designed to reflect the vision of an “online theme park,” providing an interactive gateway to all of the company’s many Disney-branded internet initiatives. Popular Disney Online places to visit include Disney Channel (www.disneychannel.com), Playhouse Disney (www.playhousedisney.com), shopping at Disney Direct (www.disneydirect.com), Walt Disney Parks and Resorts (www.disneydestinations.com) Walt Disney Pictures (www.disneypictures.com), Disney DVD & Video (www.disneyvideos.com) and Radio Disney (www.radiodisney.com).

Among the many magical “neighborhoods” found at www.Disney.com are Disney’s Toontown Online (www.toontown.com), the first 3D massively multiplayer online role playing game for kids and families, and Disney’s Blast (www.disneyblast.com), a premium subscription service for kids. Disney Online also produces FamilyFun.com (www.familyfun.com), the premier online family resource for “great ideas, practical advice, and fun stuff to do” as well as Movies.com (www.movies.com), a leading site that provides a broad array of reviews and information to help movie fans “get movie night right.” Disney Online is a part of the Walt Disney Internet Group, which provides integrated strategic and operational services for Internet, broadband, and mobile initiatives of The Walt Disney Company

 

 

Jan. 26th, 2009 — Wednesday it was declared that Walt Disney Co. has offered voluntary buyout packages to about 600 executives in its domestic theme park and resort divisions, as the company takes care to cut costs in a worsening economy.

 

 

 

Executives have until Feb. 6 to decide whether to take the voluntary severance packages.   The company said that it did not get enough volunteers it would implement involuntary layoffs with “a lesser severance package.”

 

A Disney executive refused to disclose whether the company had a specific number of reductions in mind. But the buyouts extend to less than 1% of Disney’s domestic park employees.

 

“The parks and resorts division is in the process of implementing a number of initiatives to contain costs and maximize efficiency,” Disney parks and resort spokeswoman Leslie Goodman said. “Given the continued uncertainty of the economic environment, we must manage our business even more productively.”

 

For more information visit Los Angeles Times.

 

Special thanks to ThrillNetwork member I love DW for submitting this story.