Writing a trade press interview with Walt Disney is like living through a chapter of Alice in Wonderland. Attempting to probe him with questions along an orthodox line, you come up with the impression that somehow you've tumbled down the rabbit hole with Alice.
You can't talk television with Disney in terms of commercial minutes or cost per thousand or other such trade considerations that form the essence of discussions with network officials or Madison Avenue executives. Disney claims he doesn't know much about these fundamentals.
The fact is, Disney, who will spend around $20,000,000 to produce 200 shows for ABC's Disneyland series within the next seven years, doesn't pose as an authority on anything at all. He says he follows the opinions of the ordinary people he meets, and he takes pride in the close-knit "teamwork" within his organization.
Disney's general impression of television — which he expresses with a vague gesture — is that it is an extension of other ways of reaching the public with entertainment. As for content, he denies any intent in his own productions other than entertainment.
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