Disney reconsiders making content for rivals under CEO Bob Iger

Walt Disney may resume making films and television shows for its rivals, Chief Executive Bob Iger said on March 9. In recent years, Disney’s production resources were being used to launch and grow its marquee Disney+ steaming service.

"As we look to reduce the content that we're creating for our own platforms, there probably are opportunities to license to third parties," Iger said. He said for a while, this couldn't possibly be done because the firm was favouring its own streaming platforms. “But if we get to a point where we need less content for these platforms, and we still have the capacity of producing that content, why not use it to grow revenue?," Iger told the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference in San Francisco.

He said streaming services have traditionally relied on a volume of fresh content to attract subscribers. He hopes to embrace a more curated HBO-like approach of making a few high-quality shows built around its major brands, as he works to lift Disney+ to a profit.