[IP] Fwd: Disney Forbidding Distribution of Film That Criticizes Bush
Delivered-To: dfarber+@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Wed, 05 May 2004 07:32:08 -0400
From: Barry Ritholtz <ritholtz@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Disney Forbidding Distribution of Film That Criticizes Bush
To: dave@xxxxxxxxxx
hi Dave,
For IP.
If anyone had any remaining questions about the dangers of media
concentration, this should resolve it once and for all: It's totally
unacceptable:
Barry L. Ritholtz
Market Strategist
Maxim Group
britholtz@xxxxxxxxxxxx
(212) 895-3614
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Big Picture: A blog of capital markets, geopolitics, with a dash of film!
http://bigpicture.typepad.com/comments/
Disney Forbidding Distribution of Film That Criticizes Bush
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/05/national/05DISN.htm
Excerpt:
WASHINGTON, May 4 ? The Walt Disney Company is blocking its Miramax
division from distributing a new documentary by Michael Moore that harshly
criticizes President Bush, executives at both Disney and Miramax said Tuesday.
The film, "Fahrenheit 911," links Mr. Bush and prominent Saudis ? including
the family of Osama bin Laden ? and criticizes Mr. Bush's actions before
and after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Disney, which bought Miramax more than a decade ago, has a contractual
agreement with the Miramax principals, Bob and Harvey Weinstein, allowing
it to prevent the company from distributing films under certain
circumstances, like an excessive budget or an NC-17 rating.
Executives at Miramax, who became principal investors in Mr. Moore's
project last spring, do not believe that this is one of those cases,
people involved in the production of the film said. If a compromise is not
reached, these people said, the matter could go to mediation, though
neither side is said to want to travel that route.
In a statement, Matthew Hiltzik, a spokesman for Miramax, said: "We're
discussing the issue with Disney. We're looking at all of our options and
look forward to resolving this amicably."
But Disney executives indicated that they would not budge from their
position forbidding Miramax to be the distributor of the film in North
America. Overseas rights have been sold to a number of companies,
executives said.
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