Disney Reorg: Kevin Mayer to Lead Streaming, Bob Chapek Adds Consumer Products Oversight

Disney is consolidating some of its businesses amid the company’s pending $54.2 billion takeover of 21st Century Fox. Kevin Mayer will lead the new streaming operations, while Parks boss Bob Chapek adds consumer products to his purview.

“We are strategically positioning our businesses for the future, creating a more effective, global framework to serve consumers worldwide, increase growth, and maximize shareholder value,” Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, said Wednesday. “With our unparalleled Studio and Media Networks serving as content engines for the Company, we are combining the management of our direct-to-consumer distribution platforms, technology and international operations to deliver the entertainment and sports content consumers around the world want most, with more choice, personalization and convenience than ever before.”

Mayer, who has served as Disney’s chief strategy officer since 2015, has been appointed chairman of this new Direct-to-Consumer and International Business segment, becoming the boss of the company’s forthcoming streaming service.

Also Read: Disney Interactive Boss James Pitaro Named President of ESPN

“Kevin is a proven leader who has played a critical role in bringing together the collection of creative and technological assets that will allow Disney to offer unparalleled entertainment experiences in a direct-to-consumer future,” Iger said.

Mayer’s newly-created segment will serve as a global, multiplatform media, technology and distribution organization for the content created by Disney’s Studio Entertainment and Media Networks groups. It will encompass both the upcoming ESPN+ and Disney-branded streaming services, as well as the Mouse House’s stake in Hulu. Senior Vice President Agnes Chu will report to Mayer and continue to oversee programming for the family-friendly streaming service, which is expected to launch in late 2019 and feature content from Marvel, Pixar and Lucasfilm.

BAMTech — the streaming video company which Disney acquired a major stake in last year which is developing both streaming platforms — will now house all consumer-facing digital technology and products across Disney. The company says the move will increase quality and efficiencies, as well as greater consumer insights allowing for more personalization and an improved user experience.

Also Read: Here Is the $10 Billion Reason Why Disney May Lose Its Fox Deal

Mayer will also oversee the distribution operations led by Janice Marinelli and global advertising sales for all Disney-owned networks.

“Delivering our great stories and characters directly to consumers on all high-quality devices around the world will provide the company with meaningful new revenue streams and opportunities for growth,” Mayer said.

Chapek, who currently runs the parks and resort scene, has stepped up to chairman of the new Walt Disney Parks, Experiences and Consumer Products business segment. Chapek takes on these responsibilities just days after former consumer products head, James Pitaro, was promoted to ESPN boss and co-chair of Disney’s television network business, with Iger calling him the “perfect leader to run these combined teams.”

Also Read: Disney Acquires 21st Century Fox Assets for $52.4 Billion

“Having worked with the exceptional teams at both Parks and Resorts and Consumer Products, I know this combination of incredible skills and resources will lead to a whole host of new creative ideas for high-quality products and experiences to delight our guests,” Chapek added.

According to the company, the Media Networks (co-chaired by Disney-ABC TV boss Ben Sherwood and Pietro) and Studio Entertainment segments (led by Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan F. Horn) will remain virtually the same. However, international Disney Channel operations and management of global advertising sales/technology are moving from media’s domain to Mayer, as is the studio’s management of program sales.

Disney announced last December its plans to acquire 21st Century Fox assets in a $52.4 billion deal. The purchase has to get regulatory approval before its a done deal.

15 Times 'The Simpsons' Predicted the Future (Photos)

"The Simpsons" has an eerie knack for predicting the future, from Donald Trump's presidency to U.S. beating Sweden for an Olympic gold medal in curling. Here are 14 times the long-running comedy series got it right.
Lady Gaga

On the episode "Lisa Goes Gaga," Lady Gaga is shown suspended by cables flying over the audience at a concert. Well surprise, surprise because at the Super Bowl LI's halftime show, Gaga descended from the stadium's roof with suspension cables wearing pretty much the same outfit on her episode.
Fox
2016 Nobel Prize Winner

In a 2010 episode, Milhouse predicted that Bengt R. Holmstrom would win the Nobel Prize in Economics and, sure enough, in 2016 Holmstrom and Oliver Hart were announced as joint winners of the prize.
Fox
Siegfried and Roy Tiger Attack

In 1993, an episode titled "$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)," magicians in a Siegfried and Roy-like show got attacked by their trustworthy tiger.

In 2003, Roy was attacked by one of their white tigers during a live performance. He sustained injuries, but lived.
Fox
Arnold Palmer

On the 28th season premiere, the satirical series made an Arnold Palmer joke... on the day that golfer Arnold Palmer died.

Homer Simpson tells his wife Marge that he plans to “Arnold Palmer” his pal Lenny.

“Arnold Palmer Lenny?” Marge responds. “You’re going to Arnold Palmer Lenny?”

He was of course referring to the lemonade and iced tea drink mixture -- which was named after the golfer.
Fox
Faulty Voting Machine

During the 2012 elections, a voting machine proved faulty when votes cast for Barack Obama went to Mitt Romney instead.

In a 2008 episode, Homer Simpson went to the voting booths to cast a vote for Obama, but... his vote went to McCain instead.
Fox
Higgs Boson

In a 1998 episode, "The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace," Homer writes out an equation on a chalkboard which, if solved, “you get the mass of a Higgs boson that’s only a bit larger than the nano-mass of a Higgs boson actually is," says Simon Singh, science author.
Fox
Horse Meat Scandal

In 1994, an episode titled "Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song," the lunch lady was seen reaching into a barrel labeled "assorted horse parts" and putting the meat into the school's lunch pot.

In 2013, it was reported that traces of horse DNA was found in beef products across the UK.

Fox
Guitar Hero

The now basically extinct but once popular video game Guitar Hero was first released in 2005.

But in a 2002 "The Simpsons" episode, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards give Homer a jacket that has "guitar hero" printed on the back of it.
Fox
Farmville

The virtual reality game, Farmville, was all the craze in 2009 with people rushing home from work or school to tend to their farm.

In a 1998 episode, "The Simpsons" shows a scene were kids are excited to play in a yard work simulator.
Fox
Old Beatles Letters

In Season 2's episode 18, "Brush With Greatness," Ringo Starr from the Beatles is shown responding to fan letters while saying: "They took the time to write me, and I don’t care if it takes me another 20 years. I’m going to answer every one of them."

Well, two women in England received a reply to their fan mail form Sir Paul McCartney 50 years later.
Fox
Smart Watches

Sorry Apple, but "The Simpsons" had smart watches first.

In a 1995 episode in which the show is set in the future, Lisa's husband is shown speaking to a phone on his wrist.

The first smartwatch wasn't created until 2013.
Fox
Disney Owns Fox

Back in 1998, a quick scene in "The Simpsons" showed 20th Century Fox as "a Division of Walt Disney Co." And in March 2019, Disney completed its $71.3 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox’s film and TV assets.
Fox
U.S. Wins an Olympic Gold Medal in Curling

In 2010, Homer and Marge beat Sweden and took home an Olympic gold medal for Team U.S.A. in Mixed Match Curling. As the animated sportscaster said, "Open your history books, tear out the pages and put this indelible Olympic moment in."
Fox
Murder Hornets and Coronavirus

In a 1993 episode, a Japanese factory worker accidentally spreads the contagious "Osaka Flu" to Springfield, and in the town peoples' rush to find a cure, they accidentally knock over a van with killer bees inside. The spread of "murder hornets" in America has coincided with the coronavirus in 2020. The coincidence was first noticed by former "Simpsons" writer Bill Oakley.
Fox
Donald Trump Presidency

In an episode from 2000 titled "Bart to the Future" that flashes forward to the future, Lisa becomes "the first straight female" president and takes over after Donald Trump, who ruined the economy.
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From Donald Trump’s presidency to Disney buying Fox to the spread of “murder hornets”

"The Simpsons" has an eerie knack for predicting the future, from Donald Trump's presidency to U.S. beating Sweden for an Olympic gold medal in curling. Here are 14 times the long-running comedy series got it right.

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