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Disney To Buy YouTube Video Supplier Maker Studios

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

And today's last word in business is: Moneymaker - as in, Maker Studios.

The company is a big deal in the world of short form entertainment Web videos, with more than 55,000 channels, 380 million subscribers and five billion views a month on YouTube.

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

And it is one of the top online video networks for young audiences. It has a video series called "Epic Rap Battles of History." This one pits Nicola Tesla against Thomas Edison.

(SOUNDBITE OF YOUTUBE'S, "EPIC RAP BATTLE OF HISTORY")

WERTHEIMER: Seems the Walt Disney Company wants a piece of the online video action. It announced yesterday plans to buy Maker Studios for $500 million and another potential $450 million to Maker's shareholders if it meets certain performance targets.

GREENE: Maker Studios falls in line with was other Disney acquisitions, including Marvel and also the Star Wars enterprise. Now I guess it's time to hear rapping between Mickey and Captain America.

That is the business news on MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm David Greene.

WERTHEIMER: And I'm Linda Wertheimer.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.