Steve Wadsworth

When You Wish Upon Two (Web) Stars: CEO Bob Iger Talks About the Next Digital Direction for Disney

Kara Swisher in News on October 9, 2010 at 8:04 pm PT

After Disney named two longtime Internet execs–Playdom’s John Pleasants and Jimmy Pitaro of Yahoo–as co-presidents of its Internet unit, BoomTown did a longer interview with CEO Bob Iger about the entertainment giant’s next Web moves to make it both relevant and profitable. [On weekends, we will be re-posting some pieces from the previous week that we wanted to call attention to again that some readers might have missed.]

When You Wish Upon Two (Web) Stars: CEO Bob Iger Talks About the Next Digital Direction for Disney

Kara Swisher in News on October 4, 2010 at 6:00 am PT

Yesterday, after Disney named two longtime Internet execs–Playdom’s John Pleasants and Jimmy Pitaro of Yahoo–as co-presidents of its Internet unit, BoomTown did a longer interview with CEO Robert Iger about the entertainment giant’s next Web moves to make it both relevant and profitable. Hope springs eternal. “I have tried to keep two obvious philosophies,” Iger told me. “First, that our current business not get in the way of adopting new technologies, and, second, that our business belongs on these new platforms.”

Yahoo's Jimmy Pitaro Lands Digital Co-President Job at Disney With Playdom's John Pleasants

Kara Swisher in News on October 3, 2010 at 9:45 am PT

Jimmy Pitaro, who is leaving his job running the powerful media properties at Yahoo, has taken a job as co-president of Disney Interactive Media Group, with John Pleasants. Pleasants was CEO of Playdom, the online game company that Disney acquired for $763 million in late July. The appointment of the pair, both of whom will report to Disney President and CEO Robert Iger, is a big move by the entertainment giant and looks like another attempt to clarify and bolster its Web strategy, which has had a long and often rocky history.

Yahoo’s Peter (Chernin) Principle — And Other CEO Choices

Kara Swisher in News on November 18, 2008 at 12:12 am PT

Obviously, the dream CEO for Yahoo is News Corp. President and COO Peter Chernin. And, no surprise, he is the No. 1 choice of most inside and outside Yahoo in the wake of the news late yesterday that its current CEO and co-founder Jerry Yang is stepping down. Well, Yahoo would certainly be a challenge for Chernin, in terms of a corporate cleanup challenge, especially compared to figuring out how to make bank on plush toys from “The Simpsons.” But there are many other contenders for the job, despite the slog it could be. Here’s BoomTown’s list …

Disney Combines Digital Units (Here's the Iger Memo)

Kara Swisher in News on June 4, 2008 at 9:52 pm PT

In what is likely to turbocharge its heft in the digital space, according to an internal email sent out by Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger, the company is combining its Disney Interactive Studios and the Walt Disney Internet Group. The new unit, called Disney Interactive Media Group–will be headed by WDIG’s Steve Wadsworth. WDIG has a wide range of properties, like Club Penguin, ABC.com and Disney.com. DIS makes a range of games for Disney brands like “Hannah Montana” and “Wall-E.”