Disney magic for MySpace

In its latest move to acquire more content and traffic than its rival YouTube, MySpace is reported to have made a deal with the former chief executive of Walt Disney.

by Helen Leggatt

Micheal Eisner, Disney’s former CEO, has a new online drama to promote, Prom Queen, and it appears that MySpace has struck a deal to distribute and promote it. MySpace’s 160 million users will be able to view each webisode a day before anyone else on the internet. Around 60,000 new videos a day are posted on the social networking site.

"Video is a cultural cornerstone for the MySpace community - it's a huge part of how our users express themselves and discover pop culture,” said Chris DeWolfe, CEO and co-founder of MySpace. “We have become a primary destination for online viewers and with exclusive content like Prom Queen, more and more eyeballs are coming to MySpace Video."

Eisner’s drama will be targeted to various sets of users, and could draw targeted advertising, something which is not an option on Google's YouTube. Two-thirds of all videos on MySpace now appear on the profile pages of its users and it is this that appeals to advertisers who wish to focus on specific audiences.

Characters from Prom Queen, which is aimed at teens, will also have their own MySpace profiles and vlogs.