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Disney may be adding jobs this week. But not the kind of jobs you think. Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computers, also happens to be the Chairman and CEO of Pixar Animation Studios and owns 50.6 percent of the shares in the company. Rumors are that Pixar is going to get nabbed by Disney making Jobs the majority shareholder of Disney with about a six percent stake in the company. He would take over for the former CEO Micheal Eisner who owns around two percent of the shares. There is no definitive word on the price tag of Pixar, but their market value is $6.7 billion.

The irony of the situation is the squabbles Jobs and Eisner have had in the past over the partnership of Pixar and Disney. Should this deal go through, not only would Jobs own more of the company than the former CEO, but in all likelyhood he would become a member of the Disney Board of Directors.

Business aside, how will this deal affect Apple, and ultimately the digital media business as a whole? Well Disney owns ABC and ESPN. These broadcasting companies coincidentally have exclusive digital media distribution deals with Apple over Apple’s iTunes. With Steve on Disney’s board he could influence the company in several directions that were not possible with Eisner as CEO.

This would be great for Apple but will also give precedence to broadcasting via digital mediums. Competition will get fierce over the next year and could get to the point of SEC involvement (complete speculation on my part). But look at what’s going on:

1. MTV/VH1 + Microsoft = Urge
2. Google Video has CBS, NBA, and Sony BMG Music
3. Yahoo has started its own production agency
4. Apple has content from ABC, NBC, and ESPN

Om and Niall were right. The next year will be the year of video. This time around the next wave will not be heralded in by the grassroots like blogging and podcasting. GYM will not let the people carry video over the internet to the mainstream but the people will definitely be the drivers. Hold on for the ride, it should be fun.

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