FALSE. RUMOR: Disney Shopping around for Hasbro

[gabumon]

Ok.  Since I started this thread, I figured I better post this debunk information about the whole thing.

David Faber reported that Hasbro's advisors told him there's "absolutely nothing going on that they are aware of at all, in any way, shape or form" involving Hasbro or Disney.

http://news.providencejournal.com/business/2012/11/kostrzewa---wall-street-focuses-on-spike-in-hasbro-stock.html

[Wardah]

That would make me very sad. It seems to me like the image that the Disney Princesses marketing empire is portraying to little girls is VERY unlike the image that FiM portrays, and if I had a daughter, I would much prefer her roll models to be the characters on FiM, not some pretty damsel in distress princess waiting for her prince.

Even the Princesses themselves have more depth than the marketing makes them out to have. From the marketing you would never guess that Belle likes to read or that Tiana worked hard for her dreams or that Mulan was a warrior. It's all about ballgowns and tiaras and forget anything else.

[Twizel]

its true. i like most of the princess characters as they were in the movies, but I hate hate hate the whole Princesses marketing. It's kind of degrading to the original characters.

[Wardah]

I don't hate the Princess marketing, I just find it very lacking in some departments. Being pretty and having depth are not mutually exclusive. But then again that is because I know what is missing and can fill it in.

[Leopard_Print_Unicorn]

[quote author=karrie91 link=topic=314248.msg497640#msg497640

I don't know. For me, neither are that good of role models lol. At least from the episodes of FiM I have seen. Like the one where Rainbow Dash is making fun of ponies for reading. And how Rarity is kind of full of herself. Though I do agree that Disney would make it MUCH worse lol.

That's just my opinion.

I still love both though. And I don't think the Princess's are too bad. Most of them are very friendly and caring.
[/quote]

Usually, though, the FiM characters learn a lesson when they act in a way that is not kind towards their friends or other ponies.  And they aren't all hung up on finding boyfriends. When Rarity does find her prince, he turns out to be a self-absorbed jerk and she realizes very quickly that having a prince isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Post Merge: November 08, 2012, 04:24:00 PM

Even the Princesses themselves have more depth than the marketing makes them out to have. From the marketing you would never guess that Belle likes to read or that Tiana worked hard for her dreams or that Mulan was a warrior. It's all about ballgowns and tiaras and forget anything else.

I didn't see the newer movies. I guess I'm thinking of the older movies, like Cinderella, who only improved her station in life by finding a prince, or Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, who depended on men to save them from their enemies. And don't even get me started on The Little Mermaid, and how the original non-Disney version of that story ended, ugh.

[Wardah]

Even the Princesses themselves have more depth than the marketing makes them out to have. From the marketing you would never guess that Belle likes to read or that Tiana worked hard for her dreams or that Mulan was a warrior. It's all about ballgowns and tiaras and forget anything else.

I didn't see the newer movies. I guess I'm thinking of the older movies, like Cinderella, who only improved her station in life by finding a prince, or Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, who depended on men to save them from their enemies. And don't even get me started on The Little Mermaid, and how the original non-Disney version of that story ended, ugh.

Yeah most of the early Princesses kind of reflected the time period the original films were released. Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella all were before the 60's so of course they are not very liberated. Even the Little Mermaid, for all her faults, saved the prince from drowning first.

[PitterPatter]

I'm glad it wouldn't be happening as I'm not a fan of big companies just buying out others, but in a sort of related note:
 today I decided to watch some FIM on YouTube. I'm not far along (ep 8, S1 ) but the account (whole thing, not just the specific videos) I had been watching them from had been taken down stating that:

"My Little Pony Friendship i..."
This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by HASBRO, INC.."

Which I though was interesting given that a lot of people were worried about what Disney would do to fan fiction peeps etc. I know it's quite different as this is literally their property but ya know... still, Hasbro are out there doing their legal thing.

[appletini]

I'm glad it wouldn't be happening as I'm not a fan of big companies just buying out others, but in a sort of related note:
 today I decided to watch some FIM on YouTube. I'm not far along (ep 8, S1 ) but the account (whole thing, not just the specific videos) I had been watching them from had been taken down stating that:

"My Little Pony Friendship i..."
This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by HASBRO, INC.."

Which I though was interesting given that a lot of people were worried about what Disney would do to fan fiction peeps etc. I know it's quite different as this is literally their property but ya know... still, Hasbro are out there doing their legal thing.

Whoever uploaded it must've uploaded the HD version of the show. Hasbro exec's have stated that they have no issue with people uploading the episodes provided they are not the HD Itunes quality versions.

When the bronydom was early on, there was an entire site that was dedicated to having the episodes available but they refused to listen to Hasbro instead calling them "Asshat cheapskates" and kept on uploading the HD episodes. Eventually Hasbro forced them to shut down (by calling attention to the service provider) which led to more whining and the answer about whether episodes could be uploaded at all.
(Truly not one of the fandoms 'high' moments but at least their baby attitude gave us an answer we'd been wondering about )

Edit: Also since it might come up, yes. If someone points out specifically a plush maker/episode uploader to them, they are required by law to respond with a cease and desist or risk losing the rights to the characters. (Something about not upholding so not owning) They tend to be well aware of it anyway but turn a blind eye unless specifically called out by someone on it.

Disney tends to go after anyone no matter what, if they even slightly suspect that their property is being infringed on. No exceptions. It's why the Kim Possible fandom didn't really move past some fanfiction. Music or anything else would've been promptly shut down. That's the main difference people are talking about being afraid of.

It's a whole plethora of things though that get factored into it. Hasbro is product first and tv show second, where as Disney would be show first and product second. So they have to be stricter. While almost everyone on here can claim to owning a pony, there is a good chunk that also has never seen FIM. On the flip side I can't remember owning any Disney merch but I watched almost every single movie/cartoon they put out as a kid. (and still continue to. )

For Disney a fanbase like the Bronies may be detrimental and scare away people from the show. But for Hasbro it's an advertisement free unexpected rise in sales.

[hathorcat]

Whoever uploaded it must've uploaded the HD version of the show. Hasbro exec's have stated that they have no issue with people uploading the episodes provided they are not the HD Itunes quality versions.

I find that curious and very unusual - why would Shout Factory then pay HB the rights to publish the episodes on DVD. If freely available for download that's a wasted investment for them in some ways.

Can I ask where HB published this information as it seems an unlikely move especially as they have been known to ask youtube to remove the regular versions of the show as well.

[momo_no_hime]

Whoever uploaded it must've uploaded the HD version of the show. Hasbro exec's have stated that they have no issue with people uploading the episodes provided they are not the HD Itunes quality versions.

I find that curious and very unusual - why would Shout Factory then pay HB the rights to publish the episodes on DVD. If freely available for download that's a wasted investment for them in some ways.

Can I ask where HB published this information as it seems an unlikely move especially as they have been known to ask youtube to remove the regular versions of the show as well.

I don't have exactly the info that you're looking for, but I know that the FiM Reddit has all the episodes uploaded on YouTube, but you aren't able to search for them. You have to click on the links on the Reddit page to find them.

So perhaps they don't have a problem with small groups of people uploading them, but they don't want the general public to be able to find them? I could be totally off-base though.

[hathorcat]

Whoever uploaded it must've uploaded the HD version of the show. Hasbro exec's have stated that they have no issue with people uploading the episodes provided they are not the HD Itunes quality versions.

I find that curious and very unusual - why would Shout Factory then pay HB the rights to publish the episodes on DVD. If freely available for download that's a wasted investment for them in some ways.

Can I ask where HB published this information as it seems an unlikely move especially as they have been known to ask youtube to remove the regular versions of the show as well.

I don't have exactly the info that you're looking for, but I know that the FiM Reddit has all the episodes uploaded on YouTube, but you aren't able to search for them. You have to click on the links on the Reddit page to find them.

So perhaps they don't have a problem with small groups of people uploading them, but they don't want the general public to be able to find them? I could be totally off-base though.

That sounds more like an easy way to hide the links from the general wide seeing eyes of youtube and the internet rather than a selective audience restriction. HB's issue is probably too many uploads, too many sites and not enough time and not enough management to deal with it. Disney have departments and lawyers whose sole job is to seek out copyright, trademark and intellectual property infringement. I would think its not so much that Hasbro endorses or agrees with it as they have in the past made fluttering attempts to bring things down before including on youtube but more that in the grander scheme of things they don't find it detrimental enough to the line to go after it all guns blazing. As the DVD releases continue however, I wouldn't be surprised if they do get a little more vigilant.

[DancingPhoenix]

Just thought I'd say that Disney already owns a ton of companies around the world, many you wouldn't realize they do. I saw a chart of it once and was amazed. I'm pretty sure Marvel and Lucas were wanting to sell to Disney, seen as park/merchandise rights for Marvel were in Universal's hands before. And Lucas was already very tied with Disney, the parks already have a heavy Star Wars and Indiana Jones presence.

People were super concerned when Marvel went to Disney, but they've proven they aren't changing things. I mean look at how the Avengers and Spiderman did? Granted the directors and actors are awesome, Disney is mainly just in charge of overall decisions and merchandising. I think it would be cool if Disney owned MLP! Then again, Disney is my number one fandom, followed by MLP