• Reuters, Monday, February 8, 2010 11:21 PM

A consortium led by Walt Disney Co. is in advanced talks to buy into China's largest in-bus digital media and advertising company, a deal that could offer the U.S. entertainment giant a new platform to promote Mickey Mouse in China. Google is a minority investor in the Disney-led consortium, which plans to buy a stake of between 30% to 40% in Bus Online for more than $100 million via a purchase of old and new shares.

A source noted: "To Disney, the deal is not just about sharing in the growth of China's advertising market but more about the promotion of Disney, the brand itself, and this is strategically important to Disney in China." Bus Online is China's No.1 in-bus digital media and advertising company, with revenue of about 314.5 million yuan ($46.07 million) in 2009.

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