Posted on 10/24/2002 1:01:50 PM PDT by GeneD
BURBANK, Calif. (Reuters) - Two titans of their industries, The Walt Disney Co. and Microsoft Corp., on Thursday banded together to launch a family friendly Web service in a challenge to AOL's leading role as an Internet service provider.
By pairing up with Disney in the new service called Disney on MSN, Microsoft's new MSN 8 service gains access to the Walt Disney's movie properties like hit film "Monsters Inc.," ABC broadcast TV network, ABC News, ESPN cable TV sports channel, and Radio Disney.
AOL, a unit of No. 1 media company AOL Time Warner Inc., has the largest number of Web subscribers with some 35 million worldwide, and it offers content from sister companies like the Warner Bros. film studio, home of the "Harry Potter" movies, HBO cable TV network, People magazine and Warner Music Group recording stars such as Madonna.
The news comes on the same day as software giant Microsoft launched MSN 8. Microsoft has long sought to unseat AOL as the world's No. 1 Internet Service Provider with its MSN service, which has some 9 million subscribers.
"One of Disney's undisputed competitive advantages is its strong brand, and the ability to adapt beloved characters and stories to new technologies is a cornerstone of our strategy to grow," Disney Chairman Michael Eisner said in a statement.
The new service will offer items such as parental controls and new start-up pages for kids that are filled with Disney characters like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, as well as a separate start page for adults, the companies said.
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates called Disney on MSN, "the ultimate resource" for family-oriented content.
Financial details were not disclosed.
Disney on MSN will be available immediately for a price of $21.95 per month, the companies said.
Disney shares were off 35 cents or 1.97 percent at $17.45 on the New York Stock Exchange, while Microsoft shares were down $1.65 or 3.1 percent at $51.55 on the Nasdaq.
P. S. Guess who ranks at the bottom of Consumer Reports surveys for ISPs along with AOL? You'll never guess.
I wonder how many in Dr. Rogers' faithful flock voted to put the Clinton/Gore garbage into the White House.
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