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TECHNOLOGY Thursday 10 augusT 2017
Disney to launch streaming services for movies, live sports

By TALI ARBEL vice with new animated
AP Technology Writer and live-action Disney
NEW YORK (AP) — With new and Pixar movies will be
streaming services in the the Magic Kingdom’s own
works, Disney is trying to set app. That will include “Toy
itself up for a future that’s Story 4” and the sequel to
largely been framed by the huge hit “Frozen.” Old-
Netflix: Providing the stuff er movies will be there too,
you want to watch, when as well as shows from the
you want to watch it. TV channels Disney Chan-
The Magic Kingdom is nel, Disney Junior and Dis-
launching its own stream- ney XD, and original TV and
ing service for its central films. That could be hugely
Disney and Pixar brands attractive for families with
and another for live sports. young children in the U.S.
That would allow it to by- Disney is ending an exclu-
pass the cable companies sive earlier movie deal with
it relies on — and Netflix Netflix, and the streaming
— to charge consumers giant’s shares tumbled in
directly for access to its after-hours trading. Netflix
popular movies and sport- today has grown into an
ing events. entertainment juggernaut
“They’re bringing the future in its own right, however, as
forward. What they talked it focuses more on its own In this Monday, Aug. 7, 2017, photo, The Walt Disney Co. logo appears on a screen above the floor
about were things that exclusive programming. of the New York Stock Exchange. The Walt Disney Co. reports earnings, Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017.
looked inevitable, at some Netflix already seemed to
point,” said Pivotal Re- be bracing for the poten- ies to outside services like ball, hockey and soccer ests,” Iger said on a confer-
search Group analyst Brian tial loss of the Disney mov- Netflix, move them into the games, tennis matches ence call with analysts.
Weiser. What’s less clear is if ie rights earlier this week Disney app or develop indi- and college sports through Disney will have to be care-
Disney will be able to make when it announced its vidual services for them. ESPN’s popular mobile ful that it doesn’t transfer
big bucks from it, he said. first-ever acquisition — the The Disney service will be app. Notably, ESPN will not too much sports program-
This is important as the de- purchase of Millarworld , available in “multiple mar- be streaming pro football ming from its TV channels
cline in cable households a comic book publishing kets” outside the U.S. as or basketball, at least ini- to the app. Getting the
and the shift to smaller, company that will develop well, taking advantage of tially. Customers will also be balance wrong could up-
cheaper bundles pressures films and kids shows based Disney’s global name rec- able to buy fuller streaming set cable companies and
the profitability of Disney’s on its portfolio of character. ognition. packages from the base- weigh on the price they
cable networks. Fewer sub- Disney might bring more of SPORTS ball, hockey and soccer pay Disney for ESPN, Weiser
scribers and fewer viewers its properties — particularly Disney had already said leagues, and watch them said.
mean less money. In the its Marvel superheroes and it would be launching a on the ESPN app. THE BACK END
nine months through July 1, the Star Wars franchise — streaming ESPN service. “Ultimately, we envision this To roll out its streaming ser-
cable networks’ operating under its wing, and could It’s not meant to compete will become a dynamic vices, The Walt Disney Co.
income fell 13 percent from even offer them as sepa- with the company’s TV sports marketplace that will take majority control
the year before, to $4.12 rate streaming services. channels. will grow and be increas- of BAMTech, a stream-
billion. CEO Robert Iger said Dis- The sports service is com- ingly customizable, allow- ing arm of Major League
KID STUFF ney is considering whether ing in early 2018, a little ing sports fans to pick and Baseball spun off last year
Starting in 2019, the only it should continue licensing later than previously an- choose content that re- from Baseball Advanced
subscription streaming ser- Marvel and Star Wars mov- nounced, and will air base- flects their personal inter- Media, for $1.58 billion. q

New supercomputer seen as big boost for science, Wyoming

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — efficient than its predeces- “What it shows in Wyoming Supercomputing Center entists using the machine
One of the world’s fastest sor, a machine called Yel- is that we’re not only try- completed five years ago also are developing ways
supercomputers is helping lowstone. ing to broaden and diver- has helped attract other to better predict weather
scientists better understand The NCAR-Wyoming Super- sify the economy, we care types of business including up to three months out,
the sun’s behavior and pre- computing Center housing about the results,” Mead a Microsoft data center said University Corporation
dict weather months in ad- both machines is an impor- said. just across the street, Mead for Atmospheric Research
vance but also got touted tant tool for recruiting tech Wyoming produces about said. President Antonio Busalac-
Tuesday as an important businesses and keeping stu- 40 percent of the nation’s “For me, when we think chi.
tool for diversifying Wyo- dents interested in comput- coal. In 2016, the U.S. coal about the economic ben- “This timescale is critical for
ming’s economy, which ers from leaving Wyoming industry had its worst year efits, they’re tremendous. businesses, agriculture and
has seen better days. to seek their fortunes else- in four decades amid com- When we think about the for our military, who need
The new supercomputer where, Gov. Matt Mead petition from cheaper and pride in Wyoming citizens, reliable forecasts of longer-
named Cheyenne, locat- said at a dedication for the cleaner-burning natural it’s tremendous,” Mead term weather forecasts,”
ed at a National Center new machine Tuesday. gas as utilities’ preferred said. Busalacchi said.
for Atmospheric Research The facility also is an impor- fuel for generating electric- Early work on the new su- Cheyenne and Yellow-
facility on the outskirts of tant tool for research into ity. Meanwhile, renewables percomputer includes stone will operate side-
Wyoming’s capital city, is hydrology, ways to trap such as wind and solar are modeling of space weath- by-side until the National
the world’s 22nd fastest. carbon dioxide emitted increasingly competitive. er — flares ejected by the Center for Atmospheric Re-
Put to work earlier this year, by coal-fired power plants The coal downturn has hit sun that can affect satel- search retires Yellowstone
Cheyenne is three times and other science impor- Wyoming’s economy hard. lites, communications and later this year.q
faster yet three times more tant to Wyoming, he said. But the NCAR-Wyoming even the power grid. Sci-