Disney

DISMedia & Entertainment

Mentions

Podcasts

Episodes

Podcast consensus

Points of consensus

▶Multiple sources confirm that Josh D'Amaro (spelled variously as DeMauro or DiMaro) has been named the new CEO, succeeding Bob Iger, a decision the board reached after vetting both internal and external candidates.

▶There is a consensus that Disney's stock has performed poorly, with several claims noting its price is below its level from ten years ago and has underperformed the S&P 500 over multiple timeframes.Jun 2026

▶Several sources state that Disney's streaming services (Disney+) have experienced stalled or no net subscriber growth over the last three years.May–Jun 2026

▶A significant planned partnership with OpenAI, involving a $1 billion investment and a licensing deal for the Sora video tool, has collapsed after OpenAI canceled the project.May 2026

Points of debate

▶The strategic future of Disney's linear assets (ESPN, ABC) is a point of contention. Some analysts argue for a spin-off to unlock value, while a separate report claims the new CEO has decided against this move.

▶Views on the company's overall financial health are mixed. Some sources highlight record-breaking performance, such as the Experiences division surpassing $10 billion in quarterly revenue, while others emphasize a decade of stagnant earnings per share and substantial losses in the direct-to-consumer streaming business.

▶The impact of Disney's acquisitions on creative studios is viewed differently. One source opines that Pixar stopped taking creative risks after being acquired, while others point to the significant premium Disney paid for a successful, high-growth Marvel.May 2026

▶The company's brand positioning is debated. Netflix's Ted Sarandos believes Disney's brand is so strongly tied to family entertainment that it will be difficult to expand, while Disney's own actions, like consolidating Hulu with Disney+, suggest an attempt to broaden its content appeal.Jun 2026

Key themes

▶Leadership and Succession

A significant focus of the discourse is on Disney's leadership transition, with Bob Iger's successor named as Josh D'Amaro. Claims highlight the board's internal selection process, the successful retention of other candidates, and a history of problematic CEO successions at the company, with James Gorman stating definitively that Iger will not return again.

The repeated emphasis on a smooth and decisive succession process suggests that leadership stability is a primary concern for the board and investors, likely aimed at signaling a break from past leadership turmoil.

▶Strategic Portfolio Management

There is an ongoing debate about the optimal structure of Disney's assets. This includes the strategic question of whether to spin off declining linear TV networks like ABC and ESPN, the decision to consolidate Disney+ and Hulu into a single service, and the continued investment in high-growth areas like Parks, Experiences, and Cruises.

Disney appears to be at a strategic crossroads, attempting to shed or de-emphasize legacy assets while doubling down on its profitable, IP-driven physical experiences and trying to find a path to profitability in the competitive streaming market.

▶Financial Performance and Valuation

The company presents a bifurcated financial picture. The Parks and Experiences division is posting record revenues, and the company has guided for strong EPS growth in 2026. However, this is contrasted with a decade of poor stock performance, stagnant EPS, and significant financial losses in its direct-to-consumer streaming segment compared to competitors like Netflix.

The market appears to be weighing the declining value of the media assets more heavily than the record growth in experiences, indicating investor skepticism about the company's ability to navigate the transition to streaming profitably.

▶Content, Technology, and Brand IdentityMay–Jun 2026

Disney's core identity as a family entertainment brand is seen as both a strength and a limitation, with competitors questioning its ability to expand. The company's strategy involves leveraging key IP like Marvel and Bluey, but it has also faced setbacks, such as the collapse of a $1 billion deal with OpenAI for its Sora video generation technology, which would have been integrated into Disney+.

The failed OpenAI deal highlights Disney's need to innovate technologically to keep its content offerings competitive, while the debate over its brand identity underscores the challenge of evolving for new audiences without alienating its core consumer base.

Source episodes

Sentiment over time

May 2026

1 bullish, 5 bearish, 6 neutral(12 claims)

OpenAI has canceled its Sora video app project, which resulted in Disney withdra...

Jun 2026

5 bearish, 2 neutral(7 claims)

The C-suite partners at Ethos Capital have prior experience at companies includi...

Changes over time

1990s

The company planned to build a Civil War-themed amusement park named 'Disney's America' in Virginia, a project that was ultimately not realized.

Pre-2009

Marvel Entertainment's stock recovered from $0.96 to over $50 per share under CEO Peter Cuneo, positioning it for a high-premium acquisition by Disney.

2013

Disney made an offer to acquire BuzzFeed for $450 million, with a potential earnout of up to $650 million, which was not accepted at the time.

Past Decade (approx. 2016-2026)

Discourse highlights a period of significant financial underperformance, with claims that the company's stock price is lower than it was ten years ago and that its earnings per share have not grown over the last decade.

Past 3 Years (approx. 2023-2026)

The narrative shifts to challenges in the streaming sector, with multiple sources claiming Disney has added no net new subscribers to its streaming services during this period and has incurred substantial losses on these services.

2026

The current discourse is dominated by a major leadership transition, with Josh D'Amaro named as the new CEO. This period is also marked by strategic decisions like consolidating Disney+ and Hulu, the collapse of a major AI partnership with OpenAI, and the first wave of layoffs under the new CEO.

Suggested prompts

How will the new leadership under Josh D'Amaro balance investment in the profitable Experiences division against the capital-intensive and competitive streaming business? &nearr;What are the long-term financial implications of retaining linear assets like ESPN and ABC in a declining market, versus the risks and potential rewards of a spin-off? &nearr;Given the stalled subscriber growth for Disney+, what specific strategies can the company employ to reignite growth and achieve sustained profitability in its direct-to-consumer segment? &nearr;How can Disney expand its brand beyond family entertainment, as suggested by Ted Sarandos, without diluting the core identity that drives its highly profitable Parks and Experiences division? &nearr;

Key concepts

CEO Succession & Leadership 6 ep Streaming Strategy (Disney+, Hulu) 10 ep Financial Performance & Stock 8 ep Parks, Experiences & Cruises 7 ep Linear Assets (ESPN, ABC) 6 ep OpenAI/Sora Partnership 4 ep Acquisitions & IP Management (Marvel, Pixar, Bluey) 5 ep Legal & Regulatory Issues 5 ep Brand Identity 2 ep Layoffs & Restructuring 2 ep

Notable quotes

“I'd say within 48 hours of joining Disney, I knew I had made one of the great mistakes of my life. So when you talk about mistakes, I missed every cue when I went over there. It was the worst, most horrific experience imaginable.”

Michael Ovitz · Michael Ovitz - Reinventing Talent and Building Momentum at Treville (EP.455)

“You probably heard about the Sora video app that's been shut down. This is kind of major news because Disney was going to put $1 billion into OpenAI as part of it, and they had done a licensing deal and they were going to integrate Sora, this, you know, short video product, into Disney+. All of that's now been canceled.”

Jason Calacanis · Anthropic's Generational Run, OpenAI Panics, AI Moats, Meta Loses Major Lawsuits

“And then they got to get rid of ESPN ABC cable networks FX Freeform Disney Channel Nat Geo because these things are just an anchor And the linear businesses are just awful but the experiences the parks and cruises and streaming are growing and getting profitable.”

Scott Galloway · Super Bowl 2026: Scott Galloway Explains Why Anthropic's AI Ads Are 'Genius' | Pivot

“you know Disney messed up succession it had problems I should say for some years going back many decades”

James Gorman · James Gorman - Chairman Emeritus of Morgan Stanley | Investment Conference 2026

Report last updated: Jun 10, 2026

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