Will Bob Iger Sell Disney’s Linear TV Networks? Insiders, Analysts Debate

variety.com:

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Here’s an example of just how chaotic things are in Hollywood these days: Disney CEO Bob Iger’s recent remarks that the company’s linear TV assets “may not be core” to its business were buried under the lede of his comments that SAG-AFTRA and the WGA are not being “realistic” in their contract negotiations last week.

But now that a small bit of the initial dual strike dust has settled, sources inside and outside of Disney are asking what reaction Iger was looking to provoke by announcing Disney’s intention to “open-minded and objective about the future of those businesses,” which include broadcast network ABC as well as cablers FX, Disney Channel, Nat Geo and Freeform, among others. (Not ESPN, which is run by Jimmy Pitaro under a separate segment of Disney’s business from its other TV and streaming assets.) “Does he mean all of the linear business or just some of the cable networks?

Does he mean ABC and the ABC stations? That part wasn’t clear,” Bank of America Securities media and entertainment analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich told Variety. “I’m not sure exactly what he means, if it’s a complete disposal or some kind of different structure — but he was saying the obvious, meaning the business is incredibly challenged on a secular basis.

But he’s maybe even more negative than I would have expected because radio has been around for 100-plus years, but it’s still around.