Apple’s announcement of the release of their new video iPod last week was expected, but the content deal with Disney wasn’t. Steve Jobs from Apple and Robert Iger from Walt Disney Company announced that iTunes will now carry top shows from ABC and Disney such as “Lost” and “That’s So Raven” along with top Disney shows. The cool thing mostly is that these shows will be available for download in the new video iPod one day after they air. Young consumers who are already used to small-screen devices such as cell phones, Sidekicks, and PSP’s, will most likely be the biggest new audience to embrace the latest development of entertainment via a video iPod, and pushing the video iPod into the forefront of today’s must-have electronic.

The new video iPod has a slightly larger screen at 2.5-inches, and can play video in sharp colors. It can also hold 7,500 songs, 25.000 photos, or up to 75 hours of video. Costs are $299 or $300 for 60-gig model.

The news also points out Apple’s new role in the digital distribution game for content which may make networks uneasy. But as we’ve reported in our Global Youth Culture Studies and research, youth culture markets continue to push for evolutions towards mobile and controllable entertainment systems.

Label Networks’ global youth culture studies indicate that shifts in electronics, technology, and spending among 13-25-year-olds across North America, Europe, Japan, and China continue to be shaped by iPod culture and Apple’s culture of cool in general. Clearly with the new video iPod device and content from ABC and Disney, Apple’s gone one step further towards changing old-school distribution channels for entertainment and therefore effect global youth markets. (See also Label Networks’ The Label Lab Newsletters about iPod Culture and Impacts of Technology on Global Youth Culture Markets.)