I.

Introduction

Disney, entertainment and media company based in Burbank, California, founded in the early 1920s by the artist and cartoonist Walt Disney. Disney became a leading name in family entertainment for much of the 20th century, created the popular animated character Mickey Mouse, and continues to produce popular animated and live-action films.

Since the mid-1980s Disney has increasingly diversified into broadcasting, sport, the Internet, publishing, and retail. The company purchased Capital Cities/ABC, Inc. in 1996, including the sports cable network ESPN. Among Disney’s assets are the film companies Walt Disney Pictures, Miramax Films, Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, and Pixar Animation Studios; Buena Vista Entertainment; the Disneyland theme parks; and the ABC Television Network.