Any ABC Shareholders here? They are "wasting" nearly $90M in 2 days...

[zaj]

Seriously, I'd assume that someone here is an ABC shareholder. Or has access to people that are...

If the public estimates (and my calculations) are accurate Disney is pissing away nearly $100 million dollars in their effort to put this "Path to 9/11" on the air during an election.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but...

1) The production cost of this film is publicly estimated to be at or near $40 million <1>
2) ABC receives between $100K and $500K for each 30 second ad run during prime time. <2>
3) During 6 hours of primetime over 2 days, ABC would run about 16 minutes per hour of ads. <3>

If we assume that the average for a primetime ad spot is $250K/30-seconds (less than half the average of the two above), then ABC is foregoing...

$250K/ad * 16 minutes/hour * 6 hours * 2 ads/minute = $48,000,000

That's $48,000,000 in lost ad revenue in 2 days.

Add that to the $40,000,000 production costs and we are looking at $88 million in wasted money.

Disney has 2.041 billion outstanding shares. <4>

This $88,000,000 of wasted money is a loss of $0.043 per share.

As a shareholder, I'd be pissed.

Links:
<1> http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=24042
<2> http://www.frankwbaker.com/2005-2006_ad_rates.htm
<3> http://www.austin360.com/tv/content/movies/television/2005/10/11tvcolumn.html
<4> http://corporate.disney.go.com/investors/stock/index

[ClintonTyree]

1. They'll write it off their taxes.........

as a "public service". Really, they will. And the Bush Administration will give them further tax cuts for providing this "public service" so near election time. Count on it.

The only thing we can do as a group is hit them where it hurts them most: in their balance sheet. Boycott everything Disney.

[GeorgeGist]

2. It's also a gift in kind...

to propagate Republicans.

[zaj]

3. Any Disney Shareholders here?