[tapsboy]

Considering that distribution in future is all going to be digital, this makes sense at many levels for Disney.

If you see the changing landscape, other big studios already have distribution (NBC has Comcast, Time Warner is trying to merge with AT&T). Viacom, CBS and Fox will all make some moves soon. I expect traditional TV to fully transition to digital ecosystems by 2020 as publishing & music did before.

The competition for a user's time and attention watching video now cuts across verticals from the likes of NYT/WSJ/WaPo to Vox/AOL/Yahoo to Facebook/Snapchat/Instagram to Youtube/Netflix/Hulu to streaming services from TV Networks & Cable Companies. There will be a lot of consolidation in the process.

Disclaimer: I work for a Disney subsidiary