The Ledger
Every statement that passed quotation and attribution checks. Mix any filter with any other: certainty 1/5, debate potential 5/5, or both at once.
why aren't all 23 resolved? a statement only gets an assessment when the public record can support or contradict it. opinions and what-ifs never can, and 0 checkable ones are still open, waiting for their date. predictions held up or didn't; assertions are supported or contradicted. on every card: ▮▮▮▮▮ certainty · ▮▮▮▮▮ debate potential. speakers are clickable
Sony co-founder Akio Morita wanted a studio because Betamax lost to VHS
“Mr. Morita came to see me and wanted to buy, get into owning content because he was upset that Betamax, which was a superior technology to VHS, was losing to VHS. So he wanted to own a studio”
Sony commands roughly 50% of the global image sensor market share
“They have something like 50% market share in the image sensor market broadly.”
Akio Morita rejected Bulova's 100,000-unit OEM order to protect the Sony brand
“We want to place an order for a 100,000 units that we're gonna bring over to America and sell through our channels... We want it to be the Belova TR-SI. We want to put our brand name on it, and I think Marita would later say that this was the single, like, big…”
Sony retains perpetual Spider-Man rights by releasing movies every 5.75 years
“Sony has the right to produce Spider-Man movies forever. Yes, in perpetuity, as long as they release one every five years and nine months.”
Rosenthal: IPL Shared 80% of Central Revenue With Teams in Year 1
“Of the central media rights revenue, the broadcast deals like they've just done with WSG and Sony, and also the central sponsorship deals, 50%, one half of that, will get distributed out to the collective eight franchises to be distributed equally. But, here's…”
Sony has five business units each generating double-digit revenue percentages
“I mean, the craziest thing to me is if you look at the business as of the time we did the episode, they had five separate business units, all of which did a double digit percentage of their revenue. So it's super diverse and all of which did a double digit per…”
Sony Life has historically contributed over 50% of Sony's operating cash flow
“Like in some years, in, in recent years, as other Sony businesses have stumbled, the life insurance business is contributing like 50% plus of their operating cashflow.”
Sony is the largest music publisher and second-largest record label
“They're the largest music publisher and the second largest record label”
Sony's television division lost money for eight straight years in the 2000s
“So for eight street years in the mid 2000, the television division, which was once, you know, one of the main crown jewels of Sony ends up losing money, like bleeding cash for eight years.”
MCA sued Sony for copyright infringement over Betamax in November 1976
“So November in 1976, MCA files a lawsuit. Against Sony for enabling copyright infringement.”
Gaming accounts for 30% of Sony's total revenue and profit
“30% of both revenue and profit right now come from gaming for Sony and that's at risk.”
Sony was the first Japanese company listed on the NYSE in 1970
“The first of which was in 1970, they became the first Japanese company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.”
Every Sony business segment accounts for at least 10% of total revenue
“Out of all of their segments, games, music, pictures, electronics, images, or imaging, and sensors, and financial services, there are zero single digit percent business lines in revenue or profit.”
The Morita family made an initial 190,000-yen investment in Sony
“They get the blessing and a 190,000 yen investment in the new startup company. And over the next couple of years, the Morita family would put a little more money in over time and eventually own 17% of the company.”
The Morita family held 10% of Sony in 1999, worth $5 billion
“As of 1999, the family controls a 10% share, which at the time was worth roughly five billion dollars.”
The original Sony PlayStation sold over 100 million units
“The original PlayStation sells over a hundred million units, and they win over all the major third-party developers to come over.”
Akio Morita aimed to transform 'Made in Japan' into a quality mark
“Cause famously, Akio Morita's goal with Sony was to transform made in Japan on a product from, oh, this is of low quality to, oh, this is of high quality.”
Sony's founding prospectus stated its mission was creating a stable workplace
“So he creates a founding prospectus for the company, which starts out that the purpose is to, quote, establish a stable workplace where engineers could work to their heart's content in full consciousness of their joy in technology and their social obligation.”
Sony lost its television market share lead in 2006
“In 2006, they lose the number one market share lead in televisions for the first time.”
The PlayStation 2 is the best-selling console ever at 150 million units
“And then the PlayStation two becomes the most successful console of all time. Over a hundred and fifty million units sold worldwide.”
Sony launched the first commercial CD player in 1982
“In 1982, Sony brings the first CD player to market, and then lots of other manufacturers follow suit. And the great thing is Sony and Phillips are getting royalties on all the hardware and all the discs being sold out there.”
Sony is Japan's second-largest company by market cap behind Toyota
“They are the second largest Japanese company by market cap behind only Toyota.”
Sony paid roughly $6 billion total to acquire Columbia Pictures in 1989
“Now, of course, we're talking about Sony buying Columbia pictures in 1989 for 3.2 billion dollars, but that was the equity purchase price. Ultimately, when they assume debt and a few other things, they spend about six billion dollars to buy Columbia pictures.”