Bob Iger's bold move to potentially offload Disney's traditional TV assets marks a vital and strategic pivot of survival not just for Disney, but also for the greater entertainment industry. The struggle to maintain a foothold in both old and new media landscapes has proven not only financially onerous, but also operationally inefficient. If studios want to survive, they need to draw a line in the sand and focus all their resources on the future.
Linear TV represents the past, and no one - including Disney - can manage these very diametrically-opposed businesses. Balancing old and new forms of media has proven too costly, distracting and inefficient.
Looking at this from a technology and streaming viewpoint, the tech operating linear systems and business are very different from the one required for digital. Industry players have been in a race to integrate and unify these technologies quickly, but it will take many years and it will cost a large sum.
This pivotal moment calls for strategic foresight from industry titans - we'll see how Iger moves next.
Dan Goman is the CEO & founder of Ateliere (https://ateliere.com), a company that offers media supply chain solutions for delivering creative content, from concept to consumer, on every screen, everywhere.