The pinnacle of the Federal Communications Fee ordered an investigation into Walt Disney Co. and its ABC community over their variety, fairness and inclusion practices, broadening his examination of media and telecom corporations for perceived discriminatory biases.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr directed the company’s Enforcement Bureau to “ensure that Disney and ABC have not been violating FCC equal employment opportunity regulations by promoting invidious forms of DEI discrimination.”
Carr particularly known as out insurance policies at Disney together with its “Reimagine Tomorrow” initiative designed to advance its DEI mission and inclusion requirements throughout ABC that require “50% of regular and recurring characters” be drawn from “underrepresented groups,” in response to a letter Carr wrote to Disney Chief Government Officer Bob Iger and posted on X on Friday.
“Disney started out a century ago as an iconic American company,” Carr wrote. “But then something changed. Disney has now been embroiled in rounds of controversy surrounding its DEI policies.”
Since being appointed by President Donald Trump earlier this yr, Carr has despatched related letters to Verizon Communications Inc. and Comcast Corp. He lately advised Bloomberg that an organization’s DEI practices would have an effect on its probabilities of receiving merger approval.
Carr famous that Disney has lately walked again a few of its DEI initiatives however mentioned “significant concerns remain.” Earlier this yr Disney mentioned it will finish the Reimagine Tomorrow program that Carr known as out. The corporate can also be eradicating variety from the standards for figuring out supervisor compensation.
“We are reviewing the Federal Communications Commission’s letter, and we look forward to engaging with the commission to answer its questions,” a spokesperson for Disney mentioned.
Disney’s fashionable remake of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs hit theaters earlier this month beneath a deluge of criticism, together with over casting an actress of Colombian heritage because the title character and the re-imagining of the seven dwarfs.
This story was initially featured on Fortune.com
