Disney-DeSantis Settlement Contradicts Prior Pro-Disney Headlines: Media ‘Consistently Wrong’
Recent developments have highlighted a departure from the perceived emphasis on diversity and inclusion in Disney’s films in recent years, with some attributing this shift to the string of box office failures and disappointments experienced by the company in 2023. The renewed success of non-political films such as “Deadpool & Wolverine” and the latest installment in the “Moana” franchise, “Moana 2,” has led experts to speculate that Disney may be reverting to a primary focus on entertainment.
“Disney offers a product: entertainment,” remarked Charles Elson, a former director at the Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware, in a conversation with the Los Angeles Times. “It shouldn’t be entangled with politics.”
In addition to its entertainment ventures, Disney has played a role in the recent settlement between ABC News and President-elect Donald Trump. The legal dispute arose when Trump sued the news corporation, a Disney subsidiary, for defamation following repeated on-air statements by host George Stephanopoulos falsely asserting that Trump had been found “liable for rape,” as opposed to the accurate claim of “sexual abuse” under New York law.
Disney CEO Bob Iger has emphasized a “entertainment first” approach for the company. In a bid to avoid a protracted legal battle, ABC News agreed to a settlement with Trump, agreeing to pay $15 million to a Trump presidential foundation and museum, as well as covering $1 million in legal costs. This resolution drew criticism from more progressive commentators who viewed it as yielding to Trump’s demands.
“When a company delves into politics, it sends a message,” Elson pointed out. “And when it retreats, that too conveys a message.”
“Engaging in confrontation with a governmental authority that oversees your operations is inadvisable,” he continued. “Politics can be detrimental to business.”
Disney has taken steps to dismiss a lawsuit filed by actress Gina Carano, known for her role in the “Star Wars” franchise, citing First Amendment protections.
CEO Bob Iger echoed similar sentiments in an interview with CNBC earlier this year, asserting, “I believe the clamor has subsided. I have long advocated at the company, both before my departure and since my return, that our primary objective is to entertain.”
Iger elaborated, “Ultimately, the priority in our films and TV shows is not about incorporating messaging as a top priority. They should be entertaining, and where Disney can make a positive impact on society, whether through promoting tolerance and understanding among individuals of diverse backgrounds, that is commendable.”
In recent times, Disney has steered clear of entanglement in political matters, opting to remove a transgender narrative from its content and recently settling with President-elect Donald Trump.
“Overall, our focus must be on being an entertainment-centric enterprise,” he emphasized.
Fox News Digital sought a response from Disney but
