NEWS
March 13, 2007
Eisner Buys Internet Video Business

Former Walt Disney CEO Michael Eisner has muscled into the booming internet business by launching a studio that will produce and distribute videos for the internet, cellphones and portable media devices, Reuters reports.

The studio, Vuguru, backed by Eisner's Tornante Company, will focus primarily on producing original programming online and will target new viewers unreachable by traditional media outlets like television.

"The entire concept here is content is king," Eisner told to Reuters. "What will drive traffic is interest in the subject matter."

The studio's first project, "Prom Queen," a scripted 80-episode mystery with 90-second installment, debuts on April 2. It will be available at vuguru.com, online magazine Ellegirl.com, YouTube and Veoh Networks.

Vuguru's other projects will feature videos that are five or seven minutes in length.

"There will be experiment," Eisner said. "Unlike traditional media outlets, this is pretty open."