Disney's Best-Laid Plans Have Gone Awry

If you went to Nickelodeon's Web site on Monday, this is what you would have found just below the promo for Rugrats trading cards: Suggestions for how to help "after the tragic events in NY, D.C. and PA"; expert advice on talking with one's parents about the subject; and message boards for sharing thoughts about "the recent sad events."

On the other hand, here's the most troubling thing you'll find on the Disney Channel's Web site: the preview for an original movie in which three teenage heartthrobs -- Andy, Joey and Matt Lawrence -- get stranded on a desert island. More like Gilligan's Island than Lord of the Flies or even Cast Away.

I'm not saying that you should buy or sell Disney or Viacom based on the coverage of current events for an audience of children. But I think the contrast between the two Web sites points out a fundamental issue facing Disney: You can try to banish the nightmares from the Magic Kingdom, but you can't banish them from the minds of your potential customers. ...