Staff Reports
Since Bob Iger became the new CEO of Disney two weeks ago, he's already signaled that he wants to lead the company in a better direction. This is a far cry from the disastrous reign of Bob Chapek, who was removed from his position due to the company's poor performance.
During his first town hall meeting with the company's employees, Iger talked about the various controversies that the company has been involved in. One of these was its feud with Florida's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis.
According to Chris Rufo, a conservative culture warrior, Iger decided to tone down the company's controversial political positions during the town hall meeting. He also moved toward becoming more neutral in the culture war.
EXCLUSIVE: I have obtained video from returning Disney CEO Bob Iger's first town hall with employees, in which he signals that he will work to "quiet things down" politically and move toward neutrality in the culture war.https://t.co/ZBGdHhxFVS pic.twitter.com/ZbMCZN4MlG
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) November 29, 2022
During the town hall meeting, Rufo was asked about the company's stance on Florida's parental rights law, which Disney opposed by spreading false claims that it included a provision that forbade people from saying "gay" or "homosexuality." Iger noted that the company would still promote inclusion, but he also said that it would adopt a different approach.
It's not clear exactly how Iger's plan will turn out, but the sentiment of the meeting is a positive sign that shows that the company is starting to realize that the audience should not be forced to follow a certain viewpoint.
According to Rufo, Iger claimed that the company made a mistake when it went against DeSantis, which resulted in the removal of Disney's special administrative status from the state. Iger also apologized to the employees for dragging the company into the political battle, and he noted that the company had been very important to Florida for a long time. If I get the chance, I'll be able to explain how that is something that I will do.
Despite Iger's stated goals, it was Bob Chapek's actions that led to his removal as the CEO of Disney. He caved in to the demands of a vocal minority of his employees, which resulted in the company getting involved in the political battle between DeSantis and the state's Republican governor. Iger noted that he doesn't like the company being in the middle of a controversy, and he plans on addressing this issue in a more positive manner.
The conservative strategy that Rufo explained was to damage the company's brand and force it to be more neutral. So far, it seems that the plan has worked.
According to Townhall, Disney's favorability has significantly dropped after it got involved in the political battle between Florida Republicans and lost its fight. Its recent projects have failed to meet box office goals, and the company suffered a huge loss in its streaming business.
The preceding is a summary of an article that originally appeared on Town Hall.
