Disney Online

Richard Wolpert has been named senior vice president of technology at Disney Online, where he will oversee the technology production of all new Disney Online products. "Disney Online is fortunate to have landed such a technically savvy and creative person," said Jake Winebaum, president of Disney Online. "His involvement will ensure that Disney Online's products remain technically superior as well as ensuring cohesiveness across the product line."

Fandango, the fast-growing online movie ticket company based in Los Angeles, has named former Disney digital executive Paul Yanover to the newly created position of president. Yanover will report to Nick Lehman, president of digital for NBCUniversal Entertainment Networks and Integrated Media. He will lead the company's overall business strategy, including growing its original content offerings across mobile, TV, and the Web and expanding partnerships with studios, Fandango said in a statement.

Two years after Walt Disney Co. merged its video game and Internet units to better coordinate the operations, the entertainment company said Sunday that it would divide the responsibilities for its Interactive Media Group under two newly appointed co-presidents. John Pleasants, a veteran new media executive who joined the company with Disney's acquisition this summer of Playdom, will oversee the games business, including online, console, social and mobile play. He will also continue to operate Playdom, the publisher of games for social networks such as Facebook and MySpace.

Walt Disney Co. has begun rolling out its plan to spur digital movie purchases by removing the technological obstacles that thus far have stymied growth. The studio has quietly launched Disney Movies Online, which lets consumers buy or rent digital versions of Disney and Pixar films and watch them on the Internet. The site was conceived as a bridge to gently transition the family entertainment company's mainstream consumers from the physical to the digital world. It debuted in May without fanfare.

Walt Disney Co. named Paul Yanover, a 12-year company veteran, to lead its Disney Online business, which produces the company's website for children. Yanover, currently head of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online, was named an executive vice president and managing director of Disney Online. He succeeds Ken Goldstein, who resigned, Burbank-based Disney said.

Walt Disney Co. promoted Disney Online President Jake Winebaum to oversee all of its Internet businesses, centralizing control for its online services such as ABCNews.com and ESPN Sportszone. Winebaum, 38, will head a newly created division called Buena Vista Internet Services and will continue to oversee all Disney-branded Internet services, the company said. Winebaum will report to Disney Consumer Products Chairman Barton Boyd.

Richard Wolpert, the former president of Disney Online, has joined Yucaipa Cos. as a partner to help the investment firm bring groceries to the Internet. Ron Burkle, Yucaipa's managing partner, will announce Wolpert's long-expected appointment today. Burkle made headlines last fall for engineering an $8-billion deal to merge Fred Meyer Inc. with Kroger Co.

Fandango, the fast-growing online movie ticket company based in Los Angeles, has named former Disney digital executive Paul Yanover to the newly created position of president. Yanover will report to Nick Lehman, president of digital for NBCUniversal Entertainment Networks and Integrated Media. He will lead the company's overall business strategy, including growing its original content offerings across mobile, TV, and the Web and expanding partnerships with studios, Fandango said in a statement.

Walt Disney Co. said it is in talks to buy the 57% of Infoseek Corp. that it doesn't already own and may combine the No. 4 Internet search directory with its own online properties. Disney said it may buy the rest of Infoseek's shares, valued at about $1.53 billion at today's closing price, in exchange for a new class of Disney stock that would track the combined performance of Infoseek and Disney's Internet operations.

Walt Disney Co. is continuing its campaign to become a major presence on the Internet with the launch of a new Web directory and search tool that caters to children and their parents. The Disney Internet Guide (http://www.dig.com), which became operational Wednesday, joins several other Disney sites, such as Disney.com (http://www.disney.com), ESPN SportsZone (http://ESPN.SportsZone.com) and ABC.com (http://www.abc.com). Last week, Disney announced it was buying a 43% stake in Infoseek Corp.

Two years after Walt Disney Co. merged its video game and Internet units to better coordinate the operations, the entertainment company said Sunday that it would divide the responsibilities for its Interactive Media Group under two newly appointed co-presidents. John Pleasants, a veteran new media executive who joined the company with Disney's acquisition this summer of Playdom, will oversee the games business, including online, console, social and mobile play. He will also continue to operate Playdom, the publisher of games for social networks such as Facebook and MySpace.

This week, Walt Disney Co. formally unveiled its latest online community: World of Cars, inspired by Pixar Animation Studios' 2006 hit movie "Cars. " The Burbank entertainment giant plans to begin revving its marketing engine for the virtual world this month, with promotions appearing on Disney Channel and elsewhere. World of Cars is Disney's fifth online community — one that's designed to keep children interacting with Lightning McQueen, Mater and other characters from the movie until "Cars 2" is released in 2011.

Walt Disney Co.'s online division formed a team to focus on building and publishing games, virtual worlds and social communities based on Disney's films, television shows and cartoon characters. Disney Online Studios will accelerate development of entertainment for kids and families, Walt Disney Internet Group said. Steve Parkis will lead the group. The new team includes Disney's Virtual Reality Studio, which created virtual worlds ToonTown.com and PiratesOnline.com.

Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive Robert Iger unveiled an overhauled company website Monday that will greet its 25 million monthly Internet visitors with a broader array of rich videos, music and games, but limited means of self expression. Iger had identified the new Disney.com as one of the company's most important initiatives to come this year, and the changes are bringing added scrutiny because of Iger's reputation as a supporter of Internet distribution and new media models.

Walt Disney Co. named Paul Yanover, a 12-year company veteran, to lead its Disney Online business, which produces the company's website for children. Yanover, currently head of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online, was named an executive vice president and managing director of Disney Online. He succeeds Ken Goldstein, who resigned, Burbank-based Disney said.

The Walt Disney Co. is cleaning its closets and making one-of-a-kind costumes, tickets and props available on a new Internet auction site launched in conjunction with EBay. The company's Walt Disney Internet Group already operates a co-branded auction site with EBay that allows collectors to buy and sell items among themselves.

Moving to consolidate its scattered Internet properties and package them for investors, Walt Disney Co. on Monday said it will acquire the 58% of Infoseek Corp. it does not already own and issue a new stock to track its online businesses. That portion of Infoseek was valued at $1.6 billion at Monday's market close.

Moving to consolidate its scattered Internet properties and package them for investors, Walt Disney Co. on Monday said it will acquire the 58% of Infoseek Corp. it does not already own and issue a new stock to track its online businesses. That portion of Infoseek was valued at $1.6 billion at Monday's market close.

Walt Disney Co. said it is in talks to buy the 57% of Infoseek Corp. that it doesn't already own and may combine the No. 4 Internet search directory with its own online properties. Disney said it may buy the rest of Infoseek's shares, valued at about $1.53 billion at today's closing price, in exchange for a new class of Disney stock that would track the combined performance of Infoseek and Disney's Internet operations.