SmartMoney: The new ‘King of All Media’ is Apple’s Steve Jobs

“Steve Jobs, the larger-than-life chief executive of Pixar — and, by the way, a little company called Apple Computer — just inked a sweetheart deal with Walt Disney that solidifies his place in the elite circle of digital-entertainment movers and shakers. After days of speculation, Disney announced after the close Tuesday that it would acquire animation powerhouse Pixar in an all-stock deal valued at $7.4 billion. Jobs’s happy dance reportedly could be seen from miles away,” Monica Rivituso writes for SmartMoney. “As well it should have been. If you think Microsoft’s Bill Gates wields undue influence on technology or Sirius Satellite’s radio bad boy Howard Stern rules entertainment, then you haven’t spent much time watching Steve Jobs. Last month I pointed out that Jobs was angling for a place on your couch. I was wrong: The guy wants to control the entire world.”

“Think I’m exaggerating? When you consider the ramifications of a Disney/Pixar linkup, Jobs will be sitting smack in the crossroads of digital convergence between entertainment and technology,” Rivituso writes. “Just look at where Jobs has taken his vision thus far: On the tech side of things, Apple has cranked out new and innovative products on a regular basis. I’m not talking about a company that gets it right once in a blue moon. What I’m talking about is a tech leader. (Take that Wintel!) First we got the iMac, the computer that made the average PC look like a big, boring, putty-colored box. Then we were introduced to the iPod for digital music, which was followed by tinier and hipper iPod flavors. After that we got iPods with digital video, and — whaddaya know?! — content deals with Disney and others. Of course, that’s only half of Jobs’s vision. The other half is Pixar. This is the animation studio that’s arguably the envy of every studio head in Hollywood… Bottom line, Jobs heads two companies: One that’s had enormous success with its whiz-bang technology, and another that has wicked content with proven, revenue-generating success. And now, Disney is being thrown into the mix.”

Rivituso writes, “This is about capitalizing on a winning combination of technology and content. It’s not only about pushing the digital-convergence envelope, it’s about storming into a void where nothing substantial is really being done. Truth be told, the only progress that’s been made has been by companies that Jobs has had a hand in… Now Jobs has a position on Disney’s board of directors, and he’s the largest individual shareholder, which affords him an enormous amount of influence. On top of all that, he’ll still run Apple. Mark my words: Jobs hasn’t even gotten started. As far as he’s concerned, tech and content haven’t gone out on their first date yet, let alone gotten hitched. He hasn’t even begun wrapping content and tech together, effectively forging ahead where no one else has been able to. And now he’s a gazillionaire (his Disney stake is estimated at $3.7 billion), so really, there’s no stopping him.”

Full article here.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews reader “Joe Architect” for the link.]

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Related articles:
Apple adds 10 Disney classic short films to U.S. iTunes Music Store – January 24, 2006
Steve Jobs, Bob Iger appear live on CNBC – January 24, 2006
It’s official: Disney acquires Pixar for $7.4 billion, Steve Jobs joins Disney Board of Directors – January 24, 2006

16 Comments

  1. Iger recently saw Pixar next feature animated film titled “Cars,” and said it is one of the best films he’d ever seen “I can’t wait for the rest of the world to see it,” he said. Disney and Pixar plan an exclusive preview of the fim in Detroit before the SuperBowl next month. The movie is set to open in theaters this June.

  2. Apple, Pixar and now Disney.

    Will he break?

    Or will he just milk Disney long enough, not get his way on the board and sell his stock slowly as not to cause a panick and re-invest the proceeds into Apple stock?

  3. Bottom Line Statement from Article…

    “Mark my words: Jobs hasn’t even gotten started. As far as he’s concerned, tech and content haven’t gone out on their first date yet”

  4. I live close to the geographic center of the country, and I can distinctly hear the unmistakable shrill cry of pain of someone in agony….

    Oh, never mind. It’s only Bill Gates on the west coast. ” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”LOL” style=”border:0;” />

  5. >Jobs will be sitting smack in the crossroads of digital convergence between entertainment and technology<

    ‘The Humanities’ and technology is how Mr. jobs himself once described it.

  6. where is my cut of the ad revenue for pointing you to this link? i am happy to help via my treo on the 12th hole here in sunny arizona, knowing that mdn needs all the help they can get this time of year, with proper research time occupied by snow drift shovelling and stoking of the furnace to prevent FREEZING of their macs (freezing of the “temperature kind”). f windows. george bush is king. AND screw all you art-fag-hippies, even though you are helping me get sick-rich via aapl stock.

  7. Dear Joe Architect,
    Spare us your inane white bread fascist ramblings and go back to drawing your strip malls and spec homes you sack of shite. Or tell me what course you’re on so I can burn it.

    Sincerely,
    Another Architect.

  8. Quotes from article

    “Jobs’s happy dance reportedly could be seen from miles away”

    “Last month I pointed out that Jobs was angling for a place on your couch. I was wrong: The guy wants to control the entire world.”

    I am a Mac loyal, BUT, everyone has been bashing Gates about wanting to rule the world for the past 10-15 years. Yet now the Mac community applauds Jobs for it – just because it’s Jobs. Jobs is not the saviour of mankind. I admit he IS an interesting character, but not the solution to all our problems.

    I REPEAT AGAIN: IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY, IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN AND IT ALWAYS WILL BE.

    If you think Jobs has orchestrated all this to do the end user a favor, you are deluding yourself….

  9. joe architect:

    While you’re on the 12th hole in Arizona, I’ve got all 3 of your wife’s holes filled.

    Don’t worry about the kids, they went to Mickey Ds after they stumbled across the BC bud.

    P.S. I thought Hummers floated

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