Vivendi-Universal Article in Orlando Sentinel

[Bstanley]

Sentinel Article about the fate of Universal

Wow!

An 'independent' Universal or perhaps even an NBC/Universal company.

 

[Bob O]

I think a spun off Universal owned by somebody like NBC would be very good!!! If they were bought out by a company with deep pockets that might enable them to increase the quality of their resorts which might force disney to add some attractions to keep up with the competition.

 

[d-r]

I think it would be funny if Disney bought the univeral parks...

Not that I think it would happen, it is just a funny thought.

DR

 

[Another Voice]

Real quick Hollywood buzz – Expect Universal Studios and Universal Music to be separated. Many of the music company’s the prior owner’s purchased are actually European companies. The regulators in the European Union will not let them sold off to an “American cultural imperialist warmongering conglomerate” (not my words, by the way – you gotta love the French these days…).

Everyone expects the remainder of Vivendi Universal Entertainment (studios, them parks, cable networks) to be served up to Barry Diller on a silver platter. He not only has the cash, he’s the only possible buyer in town right now. AOL Time Warner is in the middle of self destruction, Viacom is big enough to please itself, Sony has all the trouble it can handle right now with small Columbia, and Disney is selling the tortillas from DCA on street corners to earn extra pocket change.

And General Electric has been whispering around town for a couple years that it’s been interested in selling off NBC. GE doesn’t want to play the media game (it’s been a loser for everyone) and has simply waiting for a good price. Mr. Diller would probably be the one to make a Universal – NBC combination. But, of course, Mr. Diller has isn’t a fool either. And if other rumors hold up, he’ll soon has his pick about buying NBC or “getting happy” with a certain struggling network that may soon be on the auction block to pay off the debts and mismanagements of another high profile doomed CEO…