Media Mogul Wars

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By Blake Glenn


It's A New Age For Media Moguls!

 

It's the year 2025.

Business moguls are still battling it out for power and market domination.

But, after a quarter century of intense and deadly fighting, the 25-year Media Mogul Wars have finally come to a brutal end, at least for now.

This period witnessed some of the bloodiest battles in business history.

Many media moguls rose to power during this period ... or tried frantically to maintain it.

Some moguls held power only fleetingly, eventually descending tragically into the media abyss - either by their own stupid blunders, by internal or external covert operations and back-stabbing, or by the massive overwhelming force of an unbeatable foe.

Other media moguls managed to hold power for the long-term. They defied the odds and created moderate or, sometimes, unimaginable wealth. Some downfalls were spectacular, with media moguls clinging desperately (and hopelessly) to power until the bitter end.

"You'll have to pry power from my cold, dead hands", one old media mogul was overheard feebly muttering as his last, dying breath withered away.

What he didn't realize was that the power he clung to in his wrinkled up, arthritic hands, was the only power he had left. The digital world had long ago passed him by.

So, who were these media moguls that led their minions into historic market conflicts, ad-share battles and back-stabbing intrigue?

Many are gone now. Some perhaps made it to Mogul Heaven, an exotic place with lush golf greens, chauffeured limos, an open bar and high-mountain skiing.

Others ... well let's juts say the Pits of Mogul Hell is filled with their skeletal remains pacing about, still trying to make another grab for power, hoping to rise again and unaware of the nearby presence of the red-hot scorching fires that singe their bones.

Old-media moguls like Michael Eisner, Oprah Winfrey, Sumner Redstone, Rupert Murdoch, Debra Lee, Cathy Hughes, Barry Diller, and Martha Stewart led their troops into business battles during the Media Wars.

Digital moguls like Sergey Brin and Craig Newmark represented the digital media moguls, the barbaric marauders, that lead waves of digital troops against the old media elite.

History has forgotten many of them.

But today, for your pleasure and edutainment, I begin bringing them back to life.

Media Mogul: Michael Eisner

Companies: Disney; The Torante Company

Notable Achievements: Took over Disney in 1984. Credited with turning around the company and creating media powerhouse with animated films, theme parks and ESPN as centerpiece

Legacy: Made lots of money for shareholders and himself

Personal Wealth: Once criticized for making $500,000,000 one year via stock options

Importance: An early old-media mogul to transition to digital media with investments and original internet programming

Mis-steps: Hired Michael Ovitz (founder of talent agency CAA) as Disney President. Ovitz's short stay brought him over $100,000,000 in compensation. Eisner forced out of Disney in 2005 by Roy Disney and crew

How important do you think Michael Eisner will or won't be in the digital media age?

What lessons can we learn from him?

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Hi, Blake here. I'm interested in your thoughts about this post!

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