Disney's Iger says easy money behind HD DVD stance

Walt Disney Co Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger said on Tuesday he was disappointed by some studios' recent decision to back the HD DVD high-definition technology format and accused them of taking "easy money" for their decision.

Iger did not name the studios to which he was referring.

Disney backs Sony Corp's Blu-Ray Disc, which had appeared to be pulling ahead of Toshiba Corp's HD DVD in the format war before Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc signed exclusivity deals in August to distribute next-generation films on HD DVD for the next 18 months.

"We believe it's a no-brainer ... that the industry should be behind Blu-ray," Iger told investors at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia Conference, noting that a decision by certain "entities" was disappointing.

"I think those studios were likely taking easy money. We haven't taken any money because we believe it," he said.