MUMBAI: US media conglomerate Disney has sold 1.5 million digital downloads of such TV titles as Lost, Desperate Housewives through Apple Computer's iTunes store.
Now it is said to be talking to iTunes' competitors to further its activities in the digital distribution arena.
Disney CFO Tom Staggs has been quoted in media reports saying that Lost and Desperate Housewives in particular, would add $1 billion to the company's operating profit during the next five years via syndication.
Disney is also excited about the performance of its film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe. It has made $580 million globally and releases in India next week.
Staggs says that this could be the start of a huge franchise like Pirates of the Caribbean. Disney says that it is platform neutral. Its main condition while doing any deal is that partners provide a quality consumer experience and requisite intellectual property protection.
While online sales are not yet a factor driving profits for Disney they are an important factor for where the business is going.