The Walt Disney Company is a multinational entertainment conglomerate that is headquartered in Burbank, California. It was founded in 1923 by brothers Walt and Roy Disney, and began as a cartoon studio. Today, the company is one of the largest media companies in the world and operates in four primary business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, and consumer products and interactive media.
The media networks segment includes Disney's cable television networks, such as ESPN and Disney Channel, as well as its broadcast television network, ABC. This segment generates revenue through advertising sales and fees paid by cable and satellite providers to carry Disney's channels.
The parks and resorts segment operates theme parks and resorts in various locations around the world, including Disneyland and Walt Disney World. This segment generates revenue through admissions fees, hotel stays, and merchandise sales at the parks.
The studio entertainment segment is responsible for producing and distributing films and television shows under the Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm brands. This segment generates revenue through box office sales, home entertainment sales, and licensing fees paid by other companies to use Disney's characters and intellectual property.
The consumer products and interactive media segment includes Disney's licensing business, which allows other companies to use Disney's characters and intellectual property in their products, as well as its digital media businesses, such as Disney Interactive and the company's various websites and mobile apps. This segment generates revenue through licensing fees, advertising sales, and sales of consumer products featuring Disney's characters and intellectual property.
The Walt Disney Company has become an iconic and beloved brand around the world, known for its theme parks, films, and characters. In addition to its primary business segments, the company has also made strategic acquisitions over the years, such as the purchase of ABC in 1995 and the acquisition of Pixar in 2006. The company has also expanded its presence in the streaming media market with the launch of Disney+ in 2019.