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J@pan Inc Newsletter<br>
The 'JIN' J@pan Inc Newsletter<br>
A weekly opinion piece on social, economic and political trends in Japan.<br></div>
Issue No. 513 Thursday September 03, 2009, Tokyo<div><div></div><div class="h5"><br>
<br>
In Tokyo it’s easy to be somewhat insulated from the sinking<br>
popularity of Disney’s characters. (Where else can you find kids still<br>
remotely interested in Mickey Mouse?) But as the world grows up, or<br>
possibly as Disney’s creative machine continues to fail to grow with<br>
the world, the company has been forced to look for alternatives. Late<br>
last week Disney announced the $4 billion purchase of Marvel<br>
Entertainment, a deal that will see characters such as Spider-Man,<br>
Iron Man and Wolverine join the fold alongside Disney’s familiar faces<br>
and Pixar’s expanding stable of 3D stars. Marvel’s valuation was 30<br>
percent above Marvel’s share price making the premium one of the<br>
highest paid in any studio deal, according to some analysts .<br>
<br>
The deal, which follows Disney’s $7.4 billion purchase of Pixar and<br>
tie-ups with Jerry Bruckheimer and DreamWorks is illustrative of an<br>
evolving Disney. While the Pixar and Marvel buys in particular are<br>
flashing signs of Disney’s creative malaise, the billion-dollar deals<br>
seem to actually show a shift in the very DNA and structure of the<br>
company. You can imagine, in the future, Disney looking more like a<br>
kind of entertainment infrastructure rather than the factory it once<br>
was.<br>
<br>
While Disney will eventually distribute Marvel films (existing deals<br>
mean that studios such as Sony and Paramount will continue<br>
distributing its marquee franchises until around 2013) the most<br>
lucrative market will be merchandising. Marvel makes a lot of its<br>
money from toys and things like Spider-man Halloween costumes. With<br>
Marvel’s in-house films (Ironman) and studio-produced films<br>
(Spider-Man) becoming some of the biggest summer blockbusters<br>
worldwide over the past decade, Disney sees a chance to take advantage<br>
of its extensive merchandising networks.<br>
<br>
Another factor is the emergence of the “kids film for parents.” Films<br>
such as the DreamWorks-produced Shrek, and Marvel’s PG-13 superhero<br>
movies have created a market that can take a $100 million film to a<br>
$300 million film on the back of the genuine appeal to parents. A<br>
growing acceptance of violence in action may mean that the teenage<br>
market is captured while parents are still willing to take their<br>
younger children along to watch the spectacle. When compared to<br>
Spider-Man, The Littlest Mermaid and Aladdin start to look a little<br>
light on.<br>
<br>
The sale of Marvel is also representative of movement at large in the<br>
entertainment industry. The industry is rapidly changing as<br>
distribution systems change. And while consumers are still spending<br>
money on home entertainment and movie tickets, the sale of<br>
bread-and-butter items such as DVDs continue to decrease.<br>
<br>
Now, some of the major players are looking elsewhere. Steven Spielberg<br>
recently announced an $800 million tie-up between DreamWorks and<br>
Indian company Reliance ADA Group. The money will fund a slate of<br>
films to be made by Spielberg’s production house DreamWorks. While it<br>
doesn’t represent Spielberg’s conversion to a Bollywood director, the<br>
huge, growing Indian market of moviegoers is a major reason for the<br>
world’s most successful director’s move. The changing face of the<br>
movie industry, coupled with the current economic situation is bound<br>
to bring some more interesting movement over the next year or so.<br>
<br>
Michael Condon<br>
Editor-in-chief<br>
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<br>
----------- Editor-in-chief/Entrepreneur position ---------<br>
<br>
Japan Inc Communications is seeking an editor-in-chief with<br>
strong business sense and an entrepreneurial spirit to head<br>
up an editorial team for the J@pan Inc magazine and related<br>
website. J@pan Inc is the nation's leading English-language<br>
business magazine.<br>
<br>
The applicant should have experience in business reporting and<br>
possess strong writing and editing skills and news sense.<br>
But, this is not a normal editor's position.<br>
The business of print and web-based publications is changing<br>
rapidly and so J@pan Inc is looking for a leader that can<br>
evolve quickly with it.<br>
<br>
This editor will direct the teams in terms of the publication's<br>
content and the business itself.<br>
Business management experience and a passion to undertake<br>
entrepreneurial ventures are essential.<br>
The successful applicant will also need to work closely with<br>
the sales team to ensure the vision of the business and the<br>
direction of the sales staff are in sync.<br>
<br>
-Position: Mid career<br>
-Education: Undergraduate degree or equivalent journalistic<br>
training<br>
-Experience: at least 3-5 years' journalistic experience,<br>
experience in business management.<br>
-Language: Native English, strong Japanese preferable but not<br>
necessary.<br>
-Skills: Basic computer skills and a good knowledge of web<br>
publication processes and print publishing.<br>
<br>
To apply, please send your resume, cover letter and any<br>
relevant clippings to: <a href="mailto:michael@japaninc.com" target="_blank">michael@japaninc.com</a><br>
<br>
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