The irony of Eisner's next act...Wouldn't it have been better just making nice with Jobs?
By Tom Tapp
Michael Eisner is trading one mouse for another. The former Disney CEO (who once ran ABC) has announced his next venture, Veoh, an internet startup dedicated to creating a TV-quality broadcasting system on the internet.
"Anybody, now, can have their own network," Eisner tells The New York Times. "There are no borders. No gatekeepers. No restrictions on creativity of any kind."
The irony to Eisner's statement is that, while he's mostly right, the one person who stands as an exception is Steve Jobs. Jobs is practically alone in his tech/content preeminence. Wouldn't it have been easier for Eisner just to keep ruling Disney, partner with Jobs (as his successor Robert Iger has done) and rule over a new Golden Age at The Magic Kingdom? Apparently not. Apparently he'd rather partner with Time Warner. According to The Wall Street Journal, Eisner is one of three investors who helped Veoh raise $12.5 million. The others were Time Warner and Spark Capital.
From Variety:
While Time Warner hasn't outlined specific plans to work with Veoh, integrating it into America Online or using it to distribute Warner Bros. content would both be natural moves.
"Veoh's unique combination of technologies creates a strategic content distribution platform as well as the opportunity to greatly enhance the consumer's experience with Internet-delivered video," said Time Warner Investments group managing director Rachel Lam.
"We're excited to be a part of that."
Veoh is one of five or six media investments Eisner has made since setting up his LLC, Tornate Co. He declined to disclose the other investments to WSJ, but did disclose to NYT that he came up with the company name while bicycling in Italy last summer.
The term "Tornate" is on the sign posted on Italian highways near hairpin turns warning of changes ahead, says Eisner. That sounds about right.
Related Links
Eisner to Join Veoh's Board (WSJ)Eisner Makes Hairpin Turn in His Career (NYT)
Eisner visits online space (VAR)
From mouse ears to rabbit ears (FishbowlLA)
