Disney eyes Maker Studios

Disney is in talks over a possible acquisition of YouTube producer and multichannel network Maker Studios, according to reports.

Maker attracts around 5.5 billion viewers each month to its array of 50,000 YouTube channels and has already raised around US$70m after agreeing investment deals with companies including Time Warner.

The proposed deal could value Maker at around US$500m and potentially up to US$900m, according to technology blog Re/code and the Financial Times.

The news comes as Disney/ABC Television group president Anne Sweeney announced plans to step down and Disney Interactive, the struggling US online arm of The Walt Disney Company, laid off more than a quarter of its global staff as it realigns its operations.

Maker Studios, chaired by former Endemol boss Ynon Kreiz, has been through its own restructuring since he took over and co-founder and former CEO Danny Zappin departed.

Earlier this week, Warner Bros made a US$18m investment in YouTube video game network Machinima, which has itself been laying off a string of employees.

For more on Maker Studios, watch today’s C21TV’s interview with chief audience officer Chris William, himself a former Disney exec.