Cartoons are popular with the young, the young at heart, and Yahoo. This is, at least, what some people may conclude after hearing about the search engine company’s deal with the Gotham Group, a self-proclaimed “premier management firm representing animation and family entertainment talent and content.”
Yahoo and Gotham haven’t exactly sworn their undying loyalty to each other, however; instead, they’ve formed “a strategic relationship to produce and distribute original animated content on the Internet” (italics mine). (The deal also mentioned “pre-existing animated shorts,” but it’s not clear if these have only been collecting dust in a basement.)
That makes the relationship sound almost exploratory, since most companies would prefer to have access to widely known, popular content (and its built-in fan base). Perhaps, if all goes well, Gotham will allow Yahoo to distribute such content.
Then again, the particular branch of Yahoo that was involved in the deal “focuses on the development and production of event-based, original and user-generated content” (italics mine).
Drew Buckley, the general manager of Yahoo Studios, certainly didn’t seem upset. “We are thrilled to work with Gotham to create and program compelling animated content for our users,” he said in an official statement. “We are always looking for opportunities to make dynamic and entertaining content available on Yahoo.”
And Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, CEO and founder of Gotham Group, didn’t sound as if she was holding anything back from the search engine company. “Gotham is committed to finding innovative ways to distribute our artists’ creative work,” she stated, “and today’s agreement with Yahoo! furthers that business strategy to mutual benefit.”
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Doug is a staff writer for Murdok. Visit Murdok for the latest eBusiness news.
