The board of directors at Walt Disney has decided to extend the contract of CEO Robert Iger by two years, signaling their confidence in his leadership as the company faces long-term challenges in its film and television businesses.&nbsp;The decision aims to ensure continuity of leadership during Disney's ongoing transformation, the board said in a statement.&nbsp;

Iger retired in 2021 but returned as CEO in November 2022, committing to a two-year term to revitalise the business and find a more permanent replacement after the departure of Bob Chapek, Iger's chosen successor.&nbsp;

<h2>Challenges in entertainment and media industry</h2>

Iger's extended tenure comes at a time when the entertainment and media industry is undergoing significant transitions.&nbsp;

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The streaming video business, once hailed as the future of media, continues to generate losses. Additionally, weak box office performances of high-profile titles have posed challenges to Iger's efforts to rejuvenate the company.

Furthermore, the television business is grappling with long-term declines in audience numbers, a trend that appears to be irreversible.&nbsp;

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To mitigate costs, Disney announced in February its plans to cut 7,000 jobs as part of a major overhaul aimed at saving $5.5 billion.

<h2>Terms of Iger's contract&nbsp;</h2>

Under the terms of his contract extension, Iger has the opportunity to receive an annual incentive bonus of five times his base salary. In his previous contract, he was estimated to earn $27 million per year in total compensation.

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Following the announcement, Disney's shares saw a slight increase in after-hours trading.&nbsp;

In a statement, Iger said, "There is more to accomplish before this transformative work is complete." He also mentioned that the board is actively conducting interviews with both internal and external CEO candidates.

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The board of directors at Walt Disney has decided to extend the contract of CEO Robert Iger by two years, signaling their confidence in his leadership as the company faces long-term challenges in its film and television businesses.

The board of directors at Walt Disney has decided to extend the contract of CEO Robert Iger by two years, signaling their confidence in his leadership as the company faces long-term challenges in its film and television businesses. The decision aims to ensure continuity of leadership during Disney's ongoing transformation, the board said in a statement. Iger retired in 2021 but returned as CEO in November 2022, committing to a two-year term to revitalise the business and find a more permanent replacement after the departure of Bob Chapek, Iger's chosen successor. Challenges in entertainment and media industry Iger's extended tenure comes at a time when the entertainment and media industry is undergoing significant transitions. Also Read | Alarming warning from WHO: Bird flu poses increased risk of adapting to humans The streaming video business, once hailed as the future of media, continues to generate losses. Additionally, weak box office performances of high-profile titles have posed challenges to Iger's efforts to rejuvenate the company. Furthermore, the television business is grappling with long-term declines in audience numbers, a trend that appears to be irreversible. Also Read | India backs Pakistan’s resolution at UN condemning Quran burning protests To mitigate costs, Disney announced in February its plans to cut 7,000 jobs as part of a major overhaul aimed at saving $5.5 billion. Terms of Iger's contract Under the terms of his contract extension, Iger has the opportunity to receive an annual incentive bonus of five times his base salary. In his previous contract, he was estimated to earn $27 million per year in total compensation. Watch | Kenya on the boil as protests erupt against tax hikes × Following the announcement, Disney's shares saw a slight increase in after-hours trading. In a statement, Iger said, "There is more to accomplish before this transformative work is complete." He also mentioned that the board is actively conducting interviews with both internal and external CEO candidates. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Disney extends CEO Robert Iger's contract by two years amid business challenges

The actor Brett Ivan, who voices Mickey Mouse, believes that nothing can replace the heart of a character and the essence of storytelling.

Mickey Mouse's voice, Brett Ivan believes AI can't replace the heart of a character

In celebration of the company's upcoming centennial -- officially marked on October 16 -- Disney recently allowed a glimpse into its vaults, hosting a media visit to its film studio lot in Burbank, near Los Angeles.

"This is what we call the tip of the iceberg," said Walt Disney Archives director Becky Cline, before presenting artifacts ranging from the studio's founding legal document and the first Mickey Mouse cartoon script to costumes from the latest Marvel films.

Many more items are currently out touring the world, with "Disney100: The Exhibition" on display simultaneously in Munich and Philadelphia. More locations including London will be added soon.

Paris is currently hosting an immersive, multi-sensory experience, centered around the friendships between Disney's iconic characters. But a major portion of the studio's archives is in "five or six" warehouses "scattered around" the Los Angeles area, including larger items such as former theme park ride vehicles and movie props, said archivist Nicole Carroll.

"We make so much stuff, we're always looking for more space!" she said.

Founded in 1970, the 30-strong team of archivists aim to keep a "small representation" of everything, Carroll explained. For example, if a recently wrapped movie has 250 lavish costumes, including four or five for each of the heroes, the archive team will select "a couple of iconic looks from each character" for posterity.

Even with this selective approach, every time a film wraps, "we could be adding hundreds of things" to the archive, said Carroll.

<h2>'Cry'</h2>

Among the studio's most treasured memorabilia are the giant story books featured at the start of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs&nbsp;and Sleeping Beauty,&nbsp;and a crystal slipper from the live action version of Cinderella.

Some items end up serving a practical purpose -- an original snow globe from 1964's Mary Poppins&nbsp;was pulled from the archive and replicated by filmmakers creating the 2018 sequel.

Factor in photo and document archives containing first-edition cartoons, tickets to Disneyland's 1955 opening, plus corporate reports and press clippings, and the total collection extends to "hundreds of millions" of items, said Cline.

But perhaps the most hallowed space for Disney obsessives is located right on the Burbank lot -- founder Walt Disney's personal offices, from which he managed his entertainment empire from 1940 until his death in 1966.

A painstaking inventory of every item he left behind was taken, right down to the exact resting angle of his books, including volumes on Nikola Tesla, Salvador Dali and trains.

Just under a decade ago, those offices were restored by Walt Disney Archives employees.

They now contain everything from unfinished plans for theme parks to figurines of beloved fairy tale characters. And, of course, several Oscars.

Just a few tour groups are admitted each year to this space, considered sacred by cognoscenti of a company renowned for the almost unparalleled obsession of its fandom.

"People come in and cry at this amazing human," said tour guide Laura Sanchez.

"They get to walk in the past."

In celebration of the company's upcoming centennial -- officially marked on October 16 -- Disney recently allowed a glimpse into its vaults, hosting a media visit to its film studio lot in Burbank, near Los Angeles.

In celebration of the company's upcoming centennial -- officially marked on October 16 -- Disney recently allowed a glimpse into its vaults, hosting a media visit to its film studio lot in Burbank, near Los Angeles. "This is what we call the tip of the iceberg," said Walt Disney Archives director Becky Cline, before presenting artifacts ranging from the studio's founding legal document and the first Mickey Mouse cartoon script to costumes from the latest Marvel films. Many more items are currently out touring the world, with "Disney100: The Exhibition" on display simultaneously in Munich and Philadelphia. More locations including London will be added soon. Paris is currently hosting an immersive, multi-sensory experience, centered around the friendships between Disney's iconic characters. But a major portion of the studio's archives is in "five or six" warehouses "scattered around" the Los Angeles area, including larger items such as former theme park ride vehicles and movie props, said archivist Nicole Carroll. "We make so much stuff, we're always looking for more space!" she said. Founded in 1970, the 30-strong team of archivists aim to keep a "small representation" of everything, Carroll explained. For example, if a recently wrapped movie has 250 lavish costumes, including four or five for each of the heroes, the archive team will select "a couple of iconic looks from each character" for posterity. Even with this selective approach, every time a film wraps, "we could be adding hundreds of things" to the archive, said Carroll. 'Cry' Among the studio's most treasured memorabilia are the giant story books featured at the start of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Sleeping Beauty, and a crystal slipper from the live action version of Cinderella. Some items end up serving a practical purpose -- an original snow globe from 1964's Mary Poppins was pulled from the archive and replicated by filmmakers creating the 2018 sequel. Factor in photo and document archives containing first-edition cartoons, tickets to Disneyland's 1955 opening, plus corporate reports and press clippings, and the total collection extends to "hundreds of millions" of items, said Cline. But perhaps the most hallowed space for Disney obsessives is located right on the Burbank lot -- founder Walt Disney's personal offices, from which he managed his entertainment empire from 1940 until his death in 1966. A painstaking inventory of every item he left behind was taken, right down to the exact resting angle of his books, including volumes on Nikola Tesla, Salvador Dali and trains. Just under a decade ago, those offices were restored by Walt Disney Archives employees. They now contain everything from unfinished plans for theme parks to figurines of beloved fairy tale characters. And, of course, several Oscars. Just a few tour groups are admitted each year to this space, considered sacred by cognoscenti of a company renowned for the almost unparalleled obsession of its fandom. "People come in and cry at this amazing human," said tour guide Laura Sanchez. "They get to walk in the past."

Disney cracks open vast archive for centennial celebrations

Disney has reportedly used artificial intelligence for the opening sequence of the new Marvel superhero series Secret Invasion. The news has caused anxiety and anger in Hollywood even as television and film writers are on strike over their uncertain future.&nbsp;The series director Ali Selim revealed in a recent interview that the Disney+ show -- a paranoia-rich spy thriller about shape-shifting aliens that stars Samuel L Jackson -- used AI as well as human illustrators to generate its opening credits. 
 
The abstract sequence in question blends green-hued urban landscapes, spaceships and shadowy human characters, many of whom gradually reveal themselves to be the reptilian extra-terrestrial 'Skrulls' of the series.&nbsp; 
 
Selim stated that the use of AI was intended to provide a sense of 'foreboding'.&nbsp; 
 
"When we reached out to the AI vendors, that was part of it -- it just came right out of the shape-shifting, Skrull world identity, you know? 'Who did this? Who is this?'" he said.&nbsp;"We would talk to them about ideas and themes and words, and then the computer would go off and do something. And then we could change it a little bit by using words, and it would change.&nbsp;It felt explorative and inevitable, and exciting, and different," said Selim.

The revelation has not gone down well with many in Hollywood. Fears of AI replacing jobs of scriptwriters, designers and even actors looms large on Hollywood amid writers' strike.&nbsp;

The refusal of studios like Netflix and Disney to rule out allowing AI to replace human scribes was one factor that led to the writers' strike, now in its eighth week.

Jeff Simpson, who is credited as the show's visual development concept artist and worked on a different part of the series, tweeted that he was "really concerned about the impacts of this."&nbsp;

"I'm devastated, I believe AI to be unethical, dangerous and designed solely to eliminate artists' careers," he wrote.

Jon Lam, a storyboard artist, said the use of AI was "salt in the wounds of all Artists and Writers in the WGA strike."

The Writers Guild of America has asked studios and streamers for binding agreements to regulate the use of AI.

Meanwhile, Method Studios, the company credited with creating the main titles for Secret Invasion&nbsp;said AI was "just one tool among the array of tool sets our artists used."

No artists' jobs were replaced by the use of AI, it said in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter.

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Disney has reportedly used artificial intelligence for the opening sequence of the new Marvel superhero series Secret Invasion. The news has caused anxiety and anger in Hollywood even as television and film writers are on strike over their uncertain future.

Disney has reportedly used artificial intelligence for the opening sequence of the new Marvel superhero series Secret Invasion. The news has caused anxiety and anger in Hollywood even as television and film writers are on strike over their uncertain future. The series director Ali Selim revealed in a recent interview that the Disney+ show -- a paranoia-rich spy thriller about shape-shifting aliens that stars Samuel L Jackson -- used AI as well as human illustrators to generate its opening credits. The abstract sequence in question blends green-hued urban landscapes, spaceships and shadowy human characters, many of whom gradually reveal themselves to be the reptilian extra-terrestrial 'Skrulls' of the series. Selim stated that the use of AI was intended to provide a sense of 'foreboding'. "When we reached out to the AI vendors, that was part of it -- it just came right out of the shape-shifting, Skrull world identity, you know? 'Who did this? Who is this?'" he said. "We would talk to them about ideas and themes and words, and then the computer would go off and do something. And then we could change it a little bit by using words, and it would change. It felt explorative and inevitable, and exciting, and different," said Selim. The revelation has not gone down well with many in Hollywood. Fears of AI replacing jobs of scriptwriters, designers and even actors looms large on Hollywood amid writers' strike. The refusal of studios like Netflix and Disney to rule out allowing AI to replace human scribes was one factor that led to the writers' strike, now in its eighth week. Jeff Simpson, who is credited as the show's visual development concept artist and worked on a different part of the series, tweeted that he was "really concerned about the impacts of this." "I'm devastated, I believe AI to be unethical, dangerous and designed solely to eliminate artists' careers," he wrote. Jon Lam, a storyboard artist, said the use of AI was "salt in the wounds of all Artists and Writers in the WGA strike." The Writers Guild of America has asked studios and streamers for binding agreements to regulate the use of AI. Meanwhile, Method Studios, the company credited with creating the main titles for Secret Invasion said AI was "just one tool among the array of tool sets our artists used." No artists' jobs were replaced by the use of AI, it said in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Disney's use of AI for Marvel TV series sparks anger and anxiety in Hollywood

Disney has made some notable changes to its upcoming theatrical slate, pushing back the next three Avatar films, delaying Marvel movies and slating two new Star Wars movies for 2026.

Big shake-up for Marvel, Star Wars, and Avatar movies on Disney

Celebrating Pride month! 9 best animated LGBTQ+ movies you should watch next

Disney's latest live-action film The Little Mermaid may have got a roaring response at the US box office, but it has failed to impress moviegoers in China and South Korea. The film has reportedly made only $ 3.6 million in China since its release on May 26. The lackluster response at the box office is being attributed to racist critiques in some quarters which have raised questions about the casting of black actress Halle Bailey in the lead role of Ariel. 
 
In the first five days, the film only managed to earn USD 2.7 million which is far less than Spider-Man: Across the Spider Verse — which earned USD 20 million in the first week in China.&nbsp; 
 
In South Korea, “The Little Mermaid” has grossed $4.4 million since May 24. 
 
According to the Korean Film Council, the film attracted some 472,000 viewers in its first week in theatres there, far less than the 643,000 fans who showed up for the new Fast and Furious film- Fast X which opened a week before The Little Mermaid.

<h2>Black Ariel in The Little Mermaid</h2>

While Bailey's casting has been hailed as refreshing by many the world over, it has not been received well in China. In the United States, young Black girls have hailed Disney’s decision, saying they feel represented on the big screen because of her titular role. 
The Little Mermaid has also done well at the domestic box office, and ranked at number two over the past weekend according to Comscore. 
 
Interestingly, the criticism has also affected the film's IMDb score where it has been hit by 'review bombing' — a practice where users leave negative reviews which lead to low ratings.&nbsp; 
 
But on IMDb, the film has allegedly been hit by “review bombing,” a practice where users leave negative reviews on a title to try to lower its rating. The issue led IMDb last week to warn of “unusual voting activity” and tweak how it calculates the ratings.

<h2>A cold reception</h2>

The film has earned USD 27 million globally, with USD 186 million coming from the US box office and USD 141 million from international audiences, according to Comscore. 
 
But the film's poor show in China is likely to affect the film's overall business as it the country is the world's second-largest box office,&nbsp;thereby contributing big to the overall collection of a movie.&nbsp; 
 
Fans in mainland China have shared their objections to the movie online, mainly expressing disappointment with Bailey’s casting. On Douban, a popular Chinese movie review website, users scored the film just 5.1 out of 10. 
 
Several have expressed disappointment over the casting. One user wrote on a movie ranking website, that they were “puzzled” as “the ‘Little Mermaid’ in my mind is White." Several others made discriminatory comments about Bailey’s skin colour. 
 
“The fairy tale that I grew up with has changed beyond recognition!” wrote another user. 
 
South Korean too have expressed similar emotions. On Instagram, one user wrote that the movie had been “ruined” for them, adding “#NotMyAriel.” 
 
Certain sections in Japan too have expressed displeasure over the film's casting. While the film is yet to open in the country, it has already faced criticism for Ariel's portrayal.&nbsp; 
 
“Don’t trample on my cherished childhood memories and the image of Ariel,” one online forum user wrote.

Chinese state media has also questioned the casting. In an editorial published a day before the film’s debut in China, state-run tabloid Global Times said it had “caused a debate about representation in entertainment and highlighted the challenges of adapting beloved, traditional tales.”&nbsp;The publication termed Disney’s decision to cast Bailey an effort to include the minorities in big productions, and be known as being “politically correct.” 
 
“The controversy surrounding Disney’s forced inclusion of minorities in classic films is not about racism, but its lazy and irresponsible storytelling strategy,” it said, echoing views expressed on social media in China, Japan, and South Korea.

So far, Disney has not reacted to the controversy. The film's director, Rob Marshall, earlier stated that Bailey was cast only on the basis of her talent.&nbsp; 
 
“She immediately set the bar so high that no one surpassed it,” he told The Hollywood Reporter last month. “We saw every ethnicity. There was no agenda to cast a woman of color. It was really just, ‘Let’s find the best Ariel,’ and Halle claimed the role.”

The film has received mixed response from critics. WION's Kshitij Rawat has called the film 'underwhelming'. "These films, the Disney live-action remakes, are always made by filmmakers who fail to instill any personality to the narrative, and more often than not try to redo the film almost frame-by-frame. The result, like&nbsp;The Little Mermaid&nbsp;here, is always a pale imitation," wrote <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-the-little-mermaid-review-disneys-live-action-remake-fails-to-make-a-splash-596751">Rawat in his review</a>. 
&nbsp;

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Disney's latest live-action film The Little Mermaid may have got a roaring response at the US box office, but it has failed to impress moviegoers in China and South Korea.

Disney's latest live-action film The Little Mermaid may have got a roaring response at the US box office, but it has failed to impress moviegoers in China and South Korea. The film has reportedly made only $ 3.6 million in China since its release on May 26. The lackluster response at the box office is being attributed to racist critiques in some quarters which have raised questions about the casting of black actress Halle Bailey in the lead role of Ariel. In the first five days, the film only managed to earn USD 2.7 million which is far less than Spider-Man: Across the Spider Verse — which earned USD 20 million in the first week in China. In South Korea, “The Little Mermaid” has grossed $4.4 million since May 24. According to the Korean Film Council, the film attracted some 472,000 viewers in its first week in theatres there, far less than the 643,000 fans who showed up for the new Fast and Furious film- Fast X which opened a week before The Little Mermaid. Black Ariel in The Little Mermaid While Bailey's casting has been hailed as refreshing by many the world over, it has not been received well in China. In the United States, young Black girls have hailed Disney’s decision, saying they feel represented on the big screen because of her titular role. The Little Mermaid has also done well at the domestic box office, and ranked at number two over the past weekend according to Comscore. Interestingly, the criticism has also affected the film's IMDb score where it has been hit by 'review bombing' — a practice where users leave negative reviews which lead to low ratings. But on IMDb, the film has allegedly been hit by “review bombing,” a practice where users leave negative reviews on a title to try to lower its rating. The issue led IMDb last week to warn of “unusual voting activity” and tweak how it calculates the ratings. A cold reception The film has earned USD 27 million globally, with USD 186 million coming from the US box office and USD 141 million from international audiences, according to Comscore. But the film's poor show in China is likely to affect the film's overall business as it the country is the world's second-largest box office, thereby contributing big to the overall collection of a movie. Fans in mainland China have shared their objections to the movie online, mainly expressing disappointment with Bailey’s casting. On Douban, a popular Chinese movie review website, users scored the film just 5.1 out of 10. Several have expressed disappointment over the casting. One user wrote on a movie ranking website, that they were “puzzled” as “the ‘Little Mermaid’ in my mind is White." Several others made discriminatory comments about Bailey’s skin colour. “The fairy tale that I grew up with has changed beyond recognition!” wrote another user. South Korean too have expressed similar emotions. On Instagram, one user wrote that the movie had been “ruined” for them, adding “#NotMyAriel.” Certain sections in Japan too have expressed displeasure over the film's casting. While the film is yet to open in the country, it has already faced criticism for Ariel's portrayal. “Don’t trample on my cherished childhood memories and the image of Ariel,” one online forum user wrote. Chinese state media has also questioned the casting. In an editorial published a day before the film’s debut in China, state-run tabloid Global Times said it had “caused a debate about representation in entertainment and highlighted the challenges of adapting beloved, traditional tales.” The publication termed Disney’s decision to cast Bailey an effort to include the minorities in big productions, and be known as being “politically correct.” “The controversy surrounding Disney’s forced inclusion of minorities in classic films is not about racism, but its lazy and irresponsible storytelling strategy,” it said, echoing views expressed on social media in China, Japan, and South Korea. So far, Disney has not reacted to the controversy. The film's director, Rob Marshall, earlier stated that Bailey was cast only on the basis of her talent. “She immediately set the bar so high that no one surpassed it,” he told The Hollywood Reporter last month. “We saw every ethnicity. There was no agenda to cast a woman of color. It was really just, ‘Let’s find the best Ariel,’ and Halle claimed the role.” The film has received mixed response from critics. WION's Kshitij Rawat has called the film 'underwhelming'. "These films, the Disney live-action remakes, are always made by filmmakers who fail to instill any personality to the narrative, and more often than not try to redo the film almost frame-by-frame. The result, like The Little Mermaid here, is always a pale imitation," wrote Rawat in his review. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Disney’s The Little Mermaid flops in China and South Korea amid racist backlash 

The Little Mermaid and the history of Chinese racism

After decades of close and harmonious relations, Big Business and the Republican Party and its most hard-line followers are fighting each other on some of the most sensitive fronts of America’s increasingly bizarre culture wars.

Those involved on the side of corporate America are some of the biggest and best-known brands, from Disney, owners of the world’s most popular entertainment parks, to Budweiser, makers of America’s most popular beer, to BlackRock, the multi-national investment firm which is the world’s largest asset manager.

On the opposite front are right-wing Republicans, including three aspirants to the US presidency, who object to corporate policies best known by their acronyms: ESG and DEI. That stands for Environmental, Social and Governance and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

How willing Republicans are to break with their traditional allies on Wall Street was thrown into sharp focus in March with the adoption of a bill to prevent retirement fund managers from basing decisions on factors like climate change, the “E” in ESG. The US Senate passed the measure with a 50-46 vote.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/how-mickey-mouse-was-drawn-into-americas-culture-wars-591151">ALSO READ |&nbsp;How Mickey Mouse was drawn into America’s culture wars</a>

One critic, Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank, saw the bill as evidence that Republicans, once champions of the free market, had become inspired by Soviet economic planners.

“Republican lawmakers are now telling which businesses they can and can’t invest in – and which investment criteria they will be permitted to consider."

The bill prompted President Joe Biden to issue the first veto of his presidency. “I signed this veto because the legislation passed by Congress would put at risk the retirement savings of individuals across the country,” he explained.

The response, from the speaker of the Republican-dominated House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy: “President Biden wants to use your hard-earned money not to grow your savings but to fund a far-left political agenda.”

Winning a battle, as Biden did with his veto, does not mean winning the culture wars that go far beyond investment strategies and cover issues as diverse as abortion, education, voting rights, gun laws, school libraries, immigration, and the LGBT community. As far as ESG investment goes, the dark views of hard-line Republicans were spelt out at a hearing of the House Oversight Committee in May by Steve Marshall, the Alabama attorney general and one of two “expert” witnesses.

“An unelected cabal of global elites,” he told the hearing, “have formed alliances to coordinate together to implement woke climate policy….unelected elites are making policy decisions outside of democratic processes.”

That brought to mind a conspiracy theory dating back to the 1970s according to which a cabal of elites are secretly working on a plan to turn the United Nations into the seat of a world government, taking away US sovereignty and enforcing its rule with a fleet of black helicopters.

In the lexicon of right-wing Republicans, “woke” is a pejorative umbrella term that covers a variety of topics - from climate change and social programmes to support for minorities. “Unelected elites” are the kind of people who converge on Davos once a year to exchange ideas on global problems.

US corporate leaders who incur the displeasure of powerful politicians also count as unelected elites, of course. Such as Disney CEO Bob Chapek who, under pressure from angry employees, criticised Florida’s Republican governor Ron DeSantis for legislation to limit school instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity.

DeSantis retaliated by cutting tax and other privileges Disney had enjoyed since 1967. Chapek’s successor as CEO, Bob Iger, hit back by cancelling a $2 billion expansion project around Orlando that would have resulted in 2,000 new jobs.

Another example of how carefully an American company must tread in the culture wars – often discussed with more passion on social media as real wars, i.e. Ukraine – was provided by Bud Light, the country’s most popular beer.

Its drinkers are mostly men and its market share is highest in conservative parts of the country, where diversity is not a major concern and there is little or no sympathy for people who change their gender. Despite a stable consumer base, Bud Light’s sales have been falling steadily across the country.

To stop the decline, caused by greater demand for craft beers, Anheuser Busch, Bud’s brewer, attempted to attract a wider and more diverse range of consumers, including women.

To achieve that goal, the woman in charge of Bud Light’s marketing, Alissa Heinerscheid, launched a promotion that featured a transgender influencer, Dylan Mulvaney. To mark the anniversary of her transition from man to woman, she was given a special gift -- a Bud Light can adorned with her picture.

Mulvaney displayed it proudly on TikTok, where she has almost 11 million followers, and Instagram, where she has 1.8 million. It was a personalised once-only can but conservative social media commenters gave the impression that the can was mass-produced and available in all stores.

That prompted furious social media criticism and so much rage that the country singer Kid Rock produced a video of him shooting Bud Light cans with a submachine gun.

The beer episode illuminates the passion aroused by subjects anathema to the political right but it is no more than a sideshow to the wider issue of the cooling relations between corporate America and the Republican Party in its present configuration.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/desantis-ends-disney-worlds-corporate-kingdom-company-loses-self-governing-status-with-new-law-566942">WATCH |&nbsp;DeSantis ends Disney World's 'corporate kingdom', company loses self-governing status with new law</a>

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There is no unanimity of views of what soured relations between Big Business and the Republican Party but Larry Fink, the hugely successful CEO of BlackRock often comes up in discussions of the estrangement.

In 2020 and 2021, Fink sent letters to dozens of influential CEOs arguing that the financial industry must act against climate change. The letters were effective: they sparked a wave of climate-conscious investing as well as intense lobbying against the idea from oil and other fossil-fuel companies.

At the latest meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, Fink deplored harsh right-wing attacks on him and his strategy proposals. “The narrative is ugly,” he told the meeting. “The narrative has created this huge polarisation…They are trying to demonise the issues.”

Elon Musk, the eccentric billionaire whose mass production of electric cars has been good for the environment, also attended the Davos meeting but had a different take on ESG. “The S in ESG stands for Satanic,” he said in a tweet.

No end is in sight for the controversy. ESG and DEI are certain to be part of the debates in the run-up to the 2024 US presidential elections.

Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.

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After decades of close and harmonious relations, Big Business and the Republican Party and its most hard-line followers are fighting each other on some of the most sensitive fronts of America’s increasingly bizarre culture wars.

After decades of close and harmonious relations, Big Business and the Republican Party and its most hard-line followers are fighting each other on some of the most sensitive fronts of America’s increasingly bizarre culture wars. Those involved on the side of corporate America are some of the biggest and best-known brands, from Disney, owners of the world’s most popular entertainment parks, to Budweiser, makers of America’s most popular beer, to BlackRock, the multi-national investment firm which is the world’s largest asset manager. On the opposite front are right-wing Republicans, including three aspirants to the US presidency, who object to corporate policies best known by their acronyms: ESG and DEI. That stands for Environmental, Social and Governance and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. How willing Republicans are to break with their traditional allies on Wall Street was thrown into sharp focus in March with the adoption of a bill to prevent retirement fund managers from basing decisions on factors like climate change, the “E” in ESG. The US Senate passed the measure with a 50-46 vote. ALSO READ | How Mickey Mouse was drawn into America’s culture wars One critic, Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank, saw the bill as evidence that Republicans, once champions of the free market, had become inspired by Soviet economic planners. “Republican lawmakers are now telling which businesses they can and can’t invest in – and which investment criteria they will be permitted to consider." The bill prompted President Joe Biden to issue the first veto of his presidency. “I signed this veto because the legislation passed by Congress would put at risk the retirement savings of individuals across the country,” he explained. The response, from the speaker of the Republican-dominated House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy: “President Biden wants to use your hard-earned money not to grow your savings but to fund a far-left political agenda.” Winning a battle, as Biden did with his veto, does not mean winning the culture wars that go far beyond investment strategies and cover issues as diverse as abortion, education, voting rights, gun laws, school libraries, immigration, and the LGBT community. As far as ESG investment goes, the dark views of hard-line Republicans were spelt out at a hearing of the House Oversight Committee in May by Steve Marshall, the Alabama attorney general and one of two “expert” witnesses. “An unelected cabal of global elites,” he told the hearing, “have formed alliances to coordinate together to implement woke climate policy….unelected elites are making policy decisions outside of democratic processes.” That brought to mind a conspiracy theory dating back to the 1970s according to which a cabal of elites are secretly working on a plan to turn the United Nations into the seat of a world government, taking away US sovereignty and enforcing its rule with a fleet of black helicopters. In the lexicon of right-wing Republicans, “woke” is a pejorative umbrella term that covers a variety of topics - from climate change and social programmes to support for minorities. “Unelected elites” are the kind of people who converge on Davos once a year to exchange ideas on global problems. US corporate leaders who incur the displeasure of powerful politicians also count as unelected elites, of course. Such as Disney CEO Bob Chapek who, under pressure from angry employees, criticised Florida’s Republican governor Ron DeSantis for legislation to limit school instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity. DeSantis retaliated by cutting tax and other privileges Disney had enjoyed since 1967. Chapek’s successor as CEO, Bob Iger, hit back by cancelling a $2 billion expansion project around Orlando that would have resulted in 2,000 new jobs. Another example of how carefully an American company must tread in the culture wars – often discussed with more passion on social media as real wars, i.e. Ukraine – was provided by Bud Light, the country’s most popular beer. Its drinkers are mostly men and its market share is highest in conservative parts of the country, where diversity is not a major concern and there is little or no sympathy for people who change their gender. Despite a stable consumer base, Bud Light’s sales have been falling steadily across the country. To stop the decline, caused by greater demand for craft beers, Anheuser Busch, Bud’s brewer, attempted to attract a wider and more diverse range of consumers, including women. To achieve that goal, the woman in charge of Bud Light’s marketing, Alissa Heinerscheid, launched a promotion that featured a transgender influencer, Dylan Mulvaney. To mark the anniversary of her transition from man to woman, she was given a special gift -- a Bud Light can adorned with her picture. Mulvaney displayed it proudly on TikTok, where she has almost 11 million followers, and Instagram, where she has 1.8 million. It was a personalised once-only can but conservative social media commenters gave the impression that the can was mass-produced and available in all stores. That prompted furious social media criticism and so much rage that the country singer Kid Rock produced a video of him shooting Bud Light cans with a submachine gun. The beer episode illuminates the passion aroused by subjects anathema to the political right but it is no more than a sideshow to the wider issue of the cooling relations between corporate America and the Republican Party in its present configuration. WATCH | DeSantis ends Disney World's 'corporate kingdom', company loses self-governing status with new law × There is no unanimity of views of what soured relations between Big Business and the Republican Party but Larry Fink, the hugely successful CEO of BlackRock often comes up in discussions of the estrangement. In 2020 and 2021, Fink sent letters to dozens of influential CEOs arguing that the financial industry must act against climate change. The letters were effective: they sparked a wave of climate-conscious investing as well as intense lobbying against the idea from oil and other fossil-fuel companies. At the latest meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, Fink deplored harsh right-wing attacks on him and his strategy proposals. “The narrative is ugly,” he told the meeting. “The narrative has created this huge polarisation…They are trying to demonise the issues.” Elon Musk, the eccentric billionaire whose mass production of electric cars has been good for the environment, also attended the Davos meeting but had a different take on ESG. “The S in ESG stands for Satanic,” he said in a tweet. No end is in sight for the controversy. ESG and DEI are certain to be part of the debates in the run-up to the 2024 US presidential elections. Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

How Big Business ended up in the trenches of America’s culture wars

Walt Disney Company will close its immersive Star Wars-themed luxury hotel in Orlando this September. The hotel debuted at Walt Disney World in March 2022.&nbsp;

The Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is a two-day hotel experience, but it is closing less than two years after it opened.&nbsp;

The announcement comes amid the media giant's ongoing spree of cutting costs throughout its entertainment and parks businesses.&nbsp;

Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger said in February that the company would reduce costs by $5.5 billion.&nbsp;

The company is working toward making the streaming TV business profitable.&nbsp;

<h2>What is Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser?&nbsp;</h2>

It's not just a hotel, it's an experience. The experience involves resorts, cruise lines, and theme parks in a 48-hour space adventure.&nbsp;

It was first teased at Disney's D23 Expo in 2019 and opened in March 2022 near the company's Orlando, Florida-based Disney World Resort.

The trip costs about $1,200 per person per day, with family packages costing over $6,000 for the two-day adventure.

As mentioned in a Reuters report, some Star Wars fans had complained that the cost of staying at the Starcruiser was too high.&nbsp;

Disney also announced on Thursday that it was abandoning plans to create a roughly $1 billion corporate campus in Florida, citing "changing business conditions" in the midst of a legal battle with Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

A Disney spokesman said the Starcruiser experience was "praised by our guests and recognized for setting a new bar for innovation and immersive entertainment."

"We will take what we've learned to create future experiences that can reach more of our guests and fans," the spokesperson said.

"Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is one of our most creative projects ever and has been praised by our guests and recognized for setting a new bar for innovation and immersive entertainment," the company said in a statement.&nbsp;

"This premium, boutique experience gave us the opportunity to try new things on a smaller scale of 100 rooms, and as we prepare for its final voyage, we will take what we’ve learned to create future experiences that can reach more of our guests and fans," the statement added.&nbsp;

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Walt Disney Company will close its immersive Star Wars-themed luxury hotel in Orlando this September. The hotel debuted at Walt Disney World in March 2022. The Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is a two-day hotel experience, but it is closing less than two years after it opened.

Walt Disney Company will close its immersive Star Wars-themed luxury hotel in Orlando this September. The hotel debuted at Walt Disney World in March 2022. The Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is a two-day hotel experience, but it is closing less than two years after it opened. The announcement comes amid the media giant's ongoing spree of cutting costs throughout its entertainment and parks businesses. Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger said in February that the company would reduce costs by $5.5 billion. The company is working toward making the streaming TV business profitable. What is Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser? It's not just a hotel, it's an experience. The experience involves resorts, cruise lines, and theme parks in a 48-hour space adventure. It was first teased at Disney's D23 Expo in 2019 and opened in March 2022 near the company's Orlando, Florida-based Disney World Resort. The trip costs about $1,200 per person per day, with family packages costing over $6,000 for the two-day adventure. As mentioned in a Reuters report, some Star Wars fans had complained that the cost of staying at the Starcruiser was too high. Disney also announced on Thursday that it was abandoning plans to create a roughly $1 billion corporate campus in Florida, citing "changing business conditions" in the midst of a legal battle with Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. A Disney spokesman said the Starcruiser experience was "praised by our guests and recognized for setting a new bar for innovation and immersive entertainment." "We will take what we've learned to create future experiences that can reach more of our guests and fans," the spokesperson said. "Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is one of our most creative projects ever and has been praised by our guests and recognized for setting a new bar for innovation and immersive entertainment," the company said in a statement. "This premium, boutique experience gave us the opportunity to try new things on a smaller scale of 100 rooms, and as we prepare for its final voyage, we will take what we’ve learned to create future experiences that can reach more of our guests and fans," the statement added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Disney to close its Star Wars-themed luxury hotel that opened in Florida last year

The picturesque backdrop of Austrian town, Hallstatt, filled with mountains is believed to have inspired Arendelle, the kingdom of Disney’s Frozen. So, every year, millions of tourists flock to town hoping to click some selfies with the world-famous view.

The tourists have been thronging the town in such huge numbers that the authorities recently decided to erect a fence to stop the visitors from clicking pictures.

However, the action faced backlash over the social media and the fence has now been removed. The authorities had hoped that the fence would prevent tourists from gathering at one spot which is popular for taking selfies and disturbing the resident by making too much noise.

Hallstatt’s Mayor Alexander Scheutz has stated that he wishes to place a banner at the tourist spot which will remind tourists about the fact that people live in the area.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/italys-beautiful-town-imposes-hefty-fine-on-tourists-for-taking-selfies-585629">Italy's beautiful town imposes hefty fine on tourists for taking selfies</a>

<h2>Why do tourists throng Hallstatt in such huge numbers?</h2>

Hallstatt is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city is filled with traditional houses against the dramatic backdrop of mountains and clear waters of Hallstatter See.

Before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of tourists visited the town every year. Hallstatt was a popular destination, especially among tourists from East and South East Asia.

The town was also featured on a Korean TV show in 2006 and its replica was built in Huizhou, Guangdong Province, China in 2011. It is said that this Austrian was also the inspiration for the fictional kingdom of Arendelle which was in the famous Disney movie Frozen.

With the end of the pandemic era, the number of tourists has once again picked up and the town is planning to curb overtourism. Already daily limits have been introduced on the number of buses and cars that can get entry into the town by the authorities in Hallstatt.

However, the town regularly reaches its capacity and Mayor Scheutz has asked the Austrian press that residents just need to be left alone.

WATCH |&nbsp;Death toll mounts in Italy's worst flooding in 100 years

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<h2>Selfie-bans – a popular trend across Europe</h2>

Hallstatt is not the only travel destination in Europe which intends to stop tourists from taking selfies. Portofino - a picturesque town on the Italian Riviera - has imposed no-waiting zones for the same.

People caught hanging around on the quay for a long time between 10:30 am and 6 pm can be fined around €270. This policy is aimed at preventing large groups of tourists from gathering on the pier to take selfies in front of the colourful buildings of Portofino.

The town, which has only 400 residents, sometimes is swamped by around 10,000 tourists, which results in traffic jams and overcrowded streets.

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The picturesque backdrop of Austrian town, Hallstatt, filled with mountains is believed to have inspired Arendelle, the kingdom of Disney’s Frozen. So, every year, millions of tourists flock to town hoping to click some selfies with the world-famous view.

The picturesque backdrop of Austrian town, Hallstatt, filled with mountains is believed to have inspired Arendelle, the kingdom of Disney’s Frozen. So, every year, millions of tourists flock to town hoping to click some selfies with the world-famous view. The tourists have been thronging the town in such huge numbers that the authorities recently decided to erect a fence to stop the visitors from clicking pictures. However, the action faced backlash over the social media and the fence has now been removed. The authorities had hoped that the fence would prevent tourists from gathering at one spot which is popular for taking selfies and disturbing the resident by making too much noise. Hallstatt’s Mayor Alexander Scheutz has stated that he wishes to place a banner at the tourist spot which will remind tourists about the fact that people live in the area. ALSO READ | Italy's beautiful town imposes hefty fine on tourists for taking selfies Why do tourists throng Hallstatt in such huge numbers? Hallstatt is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city is filled with traditional houses against the dramatic backdrop of mountains and clear waters of Hallstatter See. Before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of tourists visited the town every year. Hallstatt was a popular destination, especially among tourists from East and South East Asia. The town was also featured on a Korean TV show in 2006 and its replica was built in Huizhou, Guangdong Province, China in 2011. It is said that this Austrian was also the inspiration for the fictional kingdom of Arendelle which was in the famous Disney movie Frozen. With the end of the pandemic era, the number of tourists has once again picked up and the town is planning to curb overtourism. Already daily limits have been introduced on the number of buses and cars that can get entry into the town by the authorities in Hallstatt. However, the town regularly reaches its capacity and Mayor Scheutz has asked the Austrian press that residents just need to be left alone. WATCH | Death toll mounts in Italy's worst flooding in 100 years Selfie-bans – a popular trend across Europe Hallstatt is not the only travel destination in Europe which intends to stop tourists from taking selfies. Portofino - a picturesque town on the Italian Riviera - has imposed no-waiting zones for the same. People caught hanging around on the quay for a long time between 10:30 am and 6 pm can be fined around €270. This policy is aimed at preventing large groups of tourists from gathering on the pier to take selfies in front of the colourful buildings of Portofino. The town, which has only 400 residents, sometimes is swamped by around 10,000 tourists, which results in traffic jams and overcrowded streets. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Austrian town, that inspired Disney's Frozen, erects fence to stop tourists from taking selfies

Disney on Thursday said it is abandoning plans for the construction of a new campus in central Florida and the relocation of 2,000 employees from Southern California, reported the Associated Press. These employees were intended to work in digital technology, finance, and product development departments of the entertainment giant. The move comes after Disney faced a year of criticism from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis due to the company's opposition to a state law, dubbed "Don't Say Gay law," that prohibits teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades. To challenge this law, Disney filed a lawsuit against DeSantis and other officials, alleging violations of the First Amendment.

The proposed campus was initially planned to be situated around 20 miles away from the Walt Disney World theme park resort. In a memo addressed to employees, Josh D’Amaro, chairman of the parks, experiences, and products division, explained that the company had decided to abandon these plans due to "new leadership and changing business conditions."

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-explained--ron-desantis-takes-control-of-disneys-self-governing-district-in-florida-amid-dont-say-gay-row-566819">Explained | Ron DeSantis takes control of Disney's self-governing district in Florida amid 'Don't Say Gay' row</a>

<h2>Disney expresses optimism despite setback</h2>

Despite this setback, D'Amaro expressed his optimism regarding the future of the Walt Disney World business and highlighted the company's plans to invest $17 billion and generate 13,000 job opportunities over the next decade.

The clash between Disney and DeSantis has been an ongoing conflict for over a year, drawing criticism towards the governor, especially as he prepares for a potential presidential bid. Jeremy Redfern, DeSantis' spokesperson, mentioned that the state had been skeptical about the realisation of the new Disney campus since its announcement almost two years ago. Redfern pointed out the financial challenges faced by Disney, including declining market capitalisation and falling stock prices, as factors that led to the company's restructuring and cancellation of unsuccessful ventures.

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<h2>Florida government's response</h2>

Florida Senator Joe Gruters, a former chairman of the state Republican Party, referred to Disney's decision as a significant loss. He expressed his hope for resolving the conflict and reestablishing a positive working relationship with Disney, highlighting the company's role as a valuable business and tourism partner for the state over the past five decades. Gruters emphasised the impact of losing 2,000 jobs and a billion dollars' worth of investments, stating that the market is more effective in dealing with companies than heavy-handed government intervention.

Democratic Representative Anna Eskamani, who represents the Orlando area in the Florida House, released a statement placing blame on Governor DeSantis for the job losses. Eskamani criticised DeSantis, accusing him of prioritising his own political ambitions and cultural battles over the well-being of Florida and its future. She contested DeSantis' belief that being "woke makes you go broke," arguing that this situation proves the opposite. Eskamani strongly opposed DeSantis' presidential aspirations.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-explained-how-disney-is-trying-hard-not-to-fail-as-marvel-magic-wanes-563335">Explained: How Disney is trying hard not to fail as Marvel magic wanes</a>

<h2>Why are Disney and DeSantis at loggerheads?</h2>

The conflict between Disney and DeSantis originated when Disney publicly opposed the state's stance on teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades, a policy referred to as "Don't Say Gay" by critics. In response, DeSantis took control of Disney World's self-governing district through legislative measures and appointed a new board of supervisors. Prior to the arrival of the new board, Disney had signed agreements with the previous board, which effectively stripped the new supervisors of their authority over design and construction.

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In response, the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature passed legislation allowing the DeSantis-appointed board to repeal those agreements and subjected the theme park resort's monorail system to state inspection, which was previously handled internally by Disney. Disney's lawsuit against DeSantis alleges that the governor engaged in a targeted campaign of government retaliation. The lawsuit aims to invalidate the takeover of the theme park district and the actions of the DeSantis oversight board, asserting violations of the company's free speech rights.

The establishment of Disney's self-governing district by the Florida Legislature played a crucial role in the company's decision in the 1960s to build near Orlando. At that time, Disney had proposed the construction of a futuristic city with advanced urban planning and a transit system. This vision necessitated the company's autonomy within the area. However, the envisioned futuristic city never came to fruition, and instead, it evolved into the second theme park that opened in 1982, becoming the renowned Walt Disney World we know today.

<h2>What all this means?</h2>

The decision to abandon the new campus and the relocation of employees marks a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Disney and Governor DeSantis. It has also stirred debates regarding the balance between corporate interests, freedom of speech, and government intervention. The outcome of Disney's lawsuit against DeSantis will likely have implications not only for the company but also for the broader discussions surrounding free speech rights and the role of corporations in shaping social narratives.

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Disney on Thursday said it is abandoning plans for the construction of a new campus in central Florida and the relocation of 2,000 employees from Southern California, reported the Associated Press.

Disney on Thursday said it is abandoning plans for the construction of a new campus in central Florida and the relocation of 2,000 employees from Southern California, reported the Associated Press. These employees were intended to work in digital technology, finance, and product development departments of the entertainment giant. The move comes after Disney faced a year of criticism from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis due to the company's opposition to a state law, dubbed "Don't Say Gay law," that prohibits teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades. To challenge this law, Disney filed a lawsuit against DeSantis and other officials, alleging violations of the First Amendment. The proposed campus was initially planned to be situated around 20 miles away from the Walt Disney World theme park resort. In a memo addressed to employees, Josh D’Amaro, chairman of the parks, experiences, and products division, explained that the company had decided to abandon these plans due to "new leadership and changing business conditions." Also Read: Explained | Ron DeSantis takes control of Disney's self-governing district in Florida amid 'Don't Say Gay' row Disney expresses optimism despite setback Despite this setback, D'Amaro expressed his optimism regarding the future of the Walt Disney World business and highlighted the company's plans to invest $17 billion and generate 13,000 job opportunities over the next decade. The clash between Disney and DeSantis has been an ongoing conflict for over a year, drawing criticism towards the governor, especially as he prepares for a potential presidential bid. Jeremy Redfern, DeSantis' spokesperson, mentioned that the state had been skeptical about the realisation of the new Disney campus since its announcement almost two years ago. Redfern pointed out the financial challenges faced by Disney, including declining market capitalisation and falling stock prices, as factors that led to the company's restructuring and cancellation of unsuccessful ventures. Florida government's response Florida Senator Joe Gruters, a former chairman of the state Republican Party, referred to Disney's decision as a significant loss. He expressed his hope for resolving the conflict and reestablishing a positive working relationship with Disney, highlighting the company's role as a valuable business and tourism partner for the state over the past five decades. Gruters emphasised the impact of losing 2,000 jobs and a billion dollars' worth of investments, stating that the market is more effective in dealing with companies than heavy-handed government intervention. Democratic Representative Anna Eskamani, who represents the Orlando area in the Florida House, released a statement placing blame on Governor DeSantis for the job losses. Eskamani criticised DeSantis, accusing him of prioritising his own political ambitions and cultural battles over the well-being of Florida and its future. She contested DeSantis' belief that being "woke makes you go broke," arguing that this situation proves the opposite. Eskamani strongly opposed DeSantis' presidential aspirations. Also Read: Explained: How Disney is trying hard not to fail as Marvel magic wanes Why are Disney and DeSantis at loggerheads? The conflict between Disney and DeSantis originated when Disney publicly opposed the state's stance on teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades, a policy referred to as "Don't Say Gay" by critics. In response, DeSantis took control of Disney World's self-governing district through legislative measures and appointed a new board of supervisors. Prior to the arrival of the new board, Disney had signed agreements with the previous board, which effectively stripped the new supervisors of their authority over design and construction. In response, the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature passed legislation allowing the DeSantis-appointed board to repeal those agreements and subjected the theme park resort's monorail system to state inspection, which was previously handled internally by Disney. Disney's lawsuit against DeSantis alleges that the governor engaged in a targeted campaign of government retaliation. The lawsuit aims to invalidate the takeover of the theme park district and the actions of the DeSantis oversight board, asserting violations of the company's free speech rights. The establishment of Disney's self-governing district by the Florida Legislature played a crucial role in the company's decision in the 1960s to build near Orlando. At that time, Disney had proposed the construction of a futuristic city with advanced urban planning and a transit system. This vision necessitated the company's autonomy within the area. However, the envisioned futuristic city never came to fruition, and instead, it evolved into the second theme park that opened in 1982, becoming the renowned Walt Disney World we know today. What all this means? The decision to abandon the new campus and the relocation of employees marks a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Disney and Governor DeSantis. It has also stirred debates regarding the balance between corporate interests, freedom of speech, and government intervention. The outcome of Disney's lawsuit against DeSantis will likely have implications not only for the company but also for the broader discussions surrounding free speech rights and the role of corporations in shaping social narratives. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Disney abandons plans for new Florida campus amid clash with Governor DeSantis

Disney Investors have filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging that the House of Mouse misled them about its losses and engaged in a fraudulent scheme to hide the costs of its streaming service, Disney+. The suit claims that ousted CEO Bob Chapek implemented a "cost-shifting scheme" by airing certain shows on legacy TV networks instead of Disney+ to conceal the platform's declining subscriber growth, losses, and cost overruns. Disney's pivot to prioritise streaming during the pandemic led to a major reorganisation of its media and entertainment operations, centralising distribution and commercialisation into the Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution (DMED) arm.&nbsp;

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This reorganisation, led by Chapek lieutenant Kareem Daniel, drew controversy within the company for centralising power away from creative content-focused executives. The lawsuit alleges that Chapek and Daniel repeatedly misled investors about Disney+'s success, concealing its true costs and overstating its projected profitability with 230 to 260 million paid subscribers by 2024. The suit also claims that certain shows, intended as Disney+ originals, were fraudulently aired on TV networks, shifting costs away from the streaming platform.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-explained-how-disney-is-trying-hard-not-to-fail-as-marvel-magic-wanes-563335">Explained: How Disney is trying hard not to fail as Marvel magic wanes</a>

“By doing so, a significant portion of the marketing and production costs of the shows were shifted away from Disney+ and on to the legacy platform,” reads the complaint.

Disney's fiscal second-quarter earnings in 2022 showed missed estimates, including a significant operating loss for its direct-to-consumer arm, which includes Disney+.&nbsp;

After Bob Iger returned as the company's leader, he emphasised returning power to creative executives. The lawsuit argues that these events confirm the unrealistic nature of Disney's 2024 Disney+ targets. The complaint names Chapek and Daniel as defendants, and Disney has not yet responded to the allegations.

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Disney Investors have filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging that the House of Mouse misled them about its losses and engaged in a fraudulent scheme to hide the costs of its streaming service, Disney+.

Disney Investors have filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging that the House of Mouse misled them about its losses and engaged in a fraudulent scheme to hide the costs of its streaming service, Disney+. The suit claims that ousted CEO Bob Chapek implemented a "cost-shifting scheme" by airing certain shows on legacy TV networks instead of Disney+ to conceal the platform's declining subscriber growth, losses, and cost overruns. Disney's pivot to prioritise streaming during the pandemic led to a major reorganisation of its media and entertainment operations, centralising distribution and commercialisation into the Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution (DMED) arm. This reorganisation, led by Chapek lieutenant Kareem Daniel, drew controversy within the company for centralising power away from creative content-focused executives. The lawsuit alleges that Chapek and Daniel repeatedly misled investors about Disney+'s success, concealing its true costs and overstating its projected profitability with 230 to 260 million paid subscribers by 2024. The suit also claims that certain shows, intended as Disney+ originals, were fraudulently aired on TV networks, shifting costs away from the streaming platform. Also Read: Explained: How Disney is trying hard not to fail as Marvel magic wanes “By doing so, a significant portion of the marketing and production costs of the shows were shifted away from Disney+ and on to the legacy platform,” reads the complaint. Disney's fiscal second-quarter earnings in 2022 showed missed estimates, including a significant operating loss for its direct-to-consumer arm, which includes Disney+. After Bob Iger returned as the company's leader, he emphasised returning power to creative executives. The lawsuit argues that these events confirm the unrealistic nature of Disney's 2024 Disney+ targets. The complaint names Chapek and Daniel as defendants, and Disney has not yet responded to the allegations. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Disney investors file lawsuit alleging misleading claims surrounding Disney+

Mickey Mouse and his Florida home, the world’s most visited theme park, have been drawn into America’s culture wars, which have heated up since Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, launched a battle against the Walt Disney company last year.&nbsp;

His reason: Disney, a superpower of American popular culture, issued a letter of mild criticism of a Republican bill that limited instruction on gender and sexuality in public schools. Opponents labelled it the “don’t say gay” law. DeSantis saw the criticism as evidence of “woke” corporate thinking to which he is vocally opposed.&nbsp;

“We reject this woke ideology,” DeSantis said in his inaugural speech at the beginning of his second term in office in January. “We will never surrender to the woke mob. Florida is where woke goes to die.” &nbsp;

DeSantis, who is expected to formally declare his candidacy for the 2024 presidential elections within the next few months, won re-election for governor in a landslide last year, partly because of his oft-voiced scepticism over federal guidelines on vaccinations, face-masks, lockdowns and school closures during much of the Covid-19 pandemic.

That turned him into a hero for right-wing Republicans, a villain for the left, and a governor with a national profile high enough to make him a credible contender for the presidential race. Still, polls on the candidates’ standing for the Republican primary votes show that he is trailing the front-runner, former President Donald Trump.&nbsp;

It is still 10 months before the first Republican primaries and 18 months to the elections – eternities in politics. So much can happen that long-term forecasts are useless apart from providing fodder for America’s vast army of analysts and talking heads.&nbsp;

But it is a safe bet to predict that the term “woke” and the concept of “wokeism” as a movement will feature prominently in campaign debates. Though they mean different things to different people, they have become weapons in America’s increasingly bizarre culture wars.&nbsp;

For an example of how the meaning of words change according to the user, let’s look at “woke.” In 2017, when two of the most important dictionaries of the English language first included it, their definitions were similar and unambiguous.&nbsp;

The Oxford English dictionary: “ woke, adjective: Originally: well-informed, up-to-date. Now chiefly: alert to racial or social discrimination and injustice; frequently in stay woke.” America’s Merriam-Webster: “woke”: aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice).” Does DeSantis mean issues of racial and social justice when he repeats his motto that “Florida is where woke goes to die”? Or is it a matter of a thin-skinned politician reacting rashly to criticism from his state’s biggest and best-known employer?

(According to Disney figures, the Magic Kingdom employs 77,000 people, making it “the biggest single-site employer in the United States”).&nbsp;

Disney’s criticism of the education legislation so enraged DeSantis that he moved to take away privileges and a special tax status, granted in 1967, that allowed the vast 25,000-acre resort near Orlando to effectively function as a self-governing entity. “If Disney wants a fight, they chose the wrong guy,” DeSantis wrote in an email to supporters.&nbsp;

But defanging Mickey Mouse proved easier said than done. Instead, the mouse roared. A series of complicated legal manoeuvres largely saved Disney World the Magic Kingdom from the punishment the governor intended.&nbsp;

The mouse bit back. This month, the company filed a federal lawsuit against DeSantis, accusing him of orchestrating a “campaign of retribution” against Disney by signing legislation to cancel the company’s development deals in Orlando. DeSantis, the suit says, is “weaponizing the power of government to punish private business.”&nbsp;

The feud is likely to drag on in the courts for a long time.&nbsp;

The arguments over Disney speak volumes about the antipathy of right-wing Republicans to corporate management strategies that take social issues into account. DIE ( Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) is one. ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) is another.&nbsp;&nbsp;

One of the most strident critiques of these strategies has come from Vivek Ramaswamy, a 37-year-old millionaire entrepreneur of Indian heritage who is running for the presidency.&nbsp;

He wrote a book entitled Woke, Inc. in which he deplores “rosy promises of a better, more diverse and environmentally friendly world” by a “woke-industrial complex” that divides Americans.&nbsp;

Whether De Santis’s effort to turn Americans against a long-beloved company will help or hinder his presidential ambitions is a matter of conjecture. A poll by Reuters/Ipsos in April found that majorities of both Republicans and Democrats were less likely to support a candidate who favours punishing companies for their stand on cultural issues.&nbsp;

Those who have followed the Mickey Mouse feud with close attention and think it weakens prospective presidential candidate DeSantis include Florida’s most prominent resident: Donald Trump.&nbsp;

On his Truth Social platform, he made no secret of his glee: “DeSantis is absolutely destroyed by Disney.”&nbsp;

Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.

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Mickey Mouse and his Florida home, the world’s most visited theme park, have been drawn into America’s culture wars, which have heated up since Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, launched a battle against the Walt Disney company last year.

Mickey Mouse and his Florida home, the world’s most visited theme park, have been drawn into America’s culture wars, which have heated up since Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, launched a battle against the Walt Disney company last year. His reason: Disney, a superpower of American popular culture, issued a letter of mild criticism of a Republican bill that limited instruction on gender and sexuality in public schools. Opponents labelled it the “don’t say gay” law. DeSantis saw the criticism as evidence of “woke” corporate thinking to which he is vocally opposed. “We reject this woke ideology,” DeSantis said in his inaugural speech at the beginning of his second term in office in January. “We will never surrender to the woke mob. Florida is where woke goes to die.” DeSantis, who is expected to formally declare his candidacy for the 2024 presidential elections within the next few months, won re-election for governor in a landslide last year, partly because of his oft-voiced scepticism over federal guidelines on vaccinations, face-masks, lockdowns and school closures during much of the Covid-19 pandemic. That turned him into a hero for right-wing Republicans, a villain for the left, and a governor with a national profile high enough to make him a credible contender for the presidential race. Still, polls on the candidates’ standing for the Republican primary votes show that he is trailing the front-runner, former President Donald Trump. It is still 10 months before the first Republican primaries and 18 months to the elections – eternities in politics. So much can happen that long-term forecasts are useless apart from providing fodder for America’s vast army of analysts and talking heads. But it is a safe bet to predict that the term “woke” and the concept of “wokeism” as a movement will feature prominently in campaign debates. Though they mean different things to different people, they have become weapons in America’s increasingly bizarre culture wars. For an example of how the meaning of words change according to the user, let’s look at “woke.” In 2017, when two of the most important dictionaries of the English language first included it, their definitions were similar and unambiguous. The Oxford English dictionary: “ woke, adjective: Originally: well-informed, up-to-date. Now chiefly: alert to racial or social discrimination and injustice; frequently in stay woke.” America’s Merriam-Webster: “woke”: aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice).” Does DeSantis mean issues of racial and social justice when he repeats his motto that “Florida is where woke goes to die”? Or is it a matter of a thin-skinned politician reacting rashly to criticism from his state’s biggest and best-known employer? (According to Disney figures, the Magic Kingdom employs 77,000 people, making it “the biggest single-site employer in the United States”). Disney’s criticism of the education legislation so enraged DeSantis that he moved to take away privileges and a special tax status, granted in 1967, that allowed the vast 25,000-acre resort near Orlando to effectively function as a self-governing entity. “If Disney wants a fight, they chose the wrong guy,” DeSantis wrote in an email to supporters. But defanging Mickey Mouse proved easier said than done. Instead, the mouse roared. A series of complicated legal manoeuvres largely saved Disney World the Magic Kingdom from the punishment the governor intended. The mouse bit back. This month, the company filed a federal lawsuit against DeSantis, accusing him of orchestrating a “campaign of retribution” against Disney by signing legislation to cancel the company’s development deals in Orlando. DeSantis, the suit says, is “weaponizing the power of government to punish private business.” The feud is likely to drag on in the courts for a long time. The arguments over Disney speak volumes about the antipathy of right-wing Republicans to corporate management strategies that take social issues into account. DIE ( Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) is one. ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) is another. One of the most strident critiques of these strategies has come from Vivek Ramaswamy, a 37-year-old millionaire entrepreneur of Indian heritage who is running for the presidency. He wrote a book entitled Woke, Inc. in which he deplores “rosy promises of a better, more diverse and environmentally friendly world” by a “woke-industrial complex” that divides Americans. Whether De Santis’s effort to turn Americans against a long-beloved company will help or hinder his presidential ambitions is a matter of conjecture. A poll by Reuters/Ipsos in April found that majorities of both Republicans and Democrats were less likely to support a candidate who favours punishing companies for their stand on cultural issues. Those who have followed the Mickey Mouse feud with close attention and think it weakens prospective presidential candidate DeSantis include Florida’s most prominent resident: Donald Trump. On his Truth Social platform, he made no secret of his glee: “DeSantis is absolutely destroyed by Disney.” Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

How Mickey Mouse was drawn into America’s culture wars

From R-rated sci-fi to teen biker gang adventures, streaming platforms are locked in an intensifying battle for dominance in one of the entertainment sector's hottest and most lucrative mediums: anime.

Fuelled in part by the pandemic, the popularity of the cartoons pioneered in Japan has created a goldmine for streaming giants such as Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime.

The global anime market was valued at $28.6 billion in 2022, according to Grand View Research, and is forecast to double in value by 2030.

"The peak may still be ahead of us," Aya Umezu, CEO of Tokyo-based entertainment consulting firm GEM Partners, told AFP.

"We doubt the competition in anime will slow down soon."

Globally, demand for anime increased by 35 percent from 2020 to 2021, according to industry specialist service Parrot Analytics.&nbsp;

It is little wonder, then, that international streamers are scrambling for ways to capitalise on the surging interest.

Recent years have seen Disney+, a relative latecomer to anime, start offering fan favourites also found elsewhere like "Demon Slayer", "Spy x Family" and "Jujutsu Kaisen".

"Having them can prevent subscription cancellations -- that's how strong these IPs (intellectual properties) are," Umezu said.

Offering these titles is seen as a baseline, and far from sufficient to win the loyalty of anime fans with increasingly diverse options available.

That has meant platforms are looking to either secure exclusive rights to content or co-produce their own original anime in a bid to stand out.

- Breaking open the market - 
 
Last year, Disney+ announced exclusive streaming rights to season two of smash-hit teen biker gang saga "Tokyo Revengers", part of a lucrative deal with publishing giant Kodansha.

Amazon Prime has also sought to "monopolise" blockbusters, said anime expert Tadashi Sudo, including "One Piece Film: Red" -- Japan's highest-grossing movie last year.

Netflix has proven something of an outlier in this market, going beyond snatching up existing hits to work directly with animation studios, granting them an unusual amount of creative leeway to make new stories. 
Traditionally, Japanese anime emerges from "production committees" made up of publishers, TV broadcasters, toy-makers and other industry players.

These have long had a key role in broadening revenue possibilities for a series, from character merchandising to gaming.

Netflix ruffled industry feathers when it teamed up directly with Tokyo animation studio Production I.G in 2018, bypassing the system.

"Some (in the anime industry) were upset because they thought we would destroy what they had built over all these years," Production I.G president Mitsuhisa Ishikawa said.

He went as far as likening Netflix to the "Black Ships" -- the 19th-century US vessels that forced the opening of Japan after hundreds of years of trade isolation.

"The domestic way of making anime was suddenly forced open," he said.

Netflix has reaped the rewards, with its original content making it "the platform that drove the largest increase in global demand for anime in 2021", said Christofer Hamilton of US-based Parrot Analytics. 
 
- 'Experimental' push - 
 
But even streaming goliaths with worldwide influence have comparatively small audience numbers in Japan.

That raises red flags for some industry players, especially publishers who want maximum exposure for anime adaptations of their manga titles and worry exclusive streaming deals would limit their reach in Japan.

There is "a clash of two opposing interests -- between platforms who want more exclusives and production committee players who want as little of a monopoly (for streaming services) as possible", said anime specialist Sudo.

Experts say this conflict often leads to Netflix original deals being based on works that are less likely to become national sensations like "Demon Slayer".

None of Netflix's original anime made their top-20 most-watched list for Japan users in 2022, according to GEM Partners senior data analyst Shota Ito.

The streamer is, however, an attractive prospect for studios with more commercially challenging projects that the traditional market could find too niche.

Early original content on Netflix reflected this, and was heavy on shows critics say evoked the hardcore sci-fi anime of a few decades ago.

Among these was "Devilman Crybaby", the tale of a "demon-boy" that featured violence and nudity galore.

"My sense is that creators wanted to do something with us that they had little chance to do under the existing system," Netflix chief anime producer Taiki Sakurai told AFP.

That initial "experimental" push has since given way to a broader roster, including comedy, traditional "shonen" targeting young boys and even a stop-motion project starring a teddy bear. 
 
Long-standing fans also have other dedicated services to turn to, including the huge online anime library Crunchyroll.

Netflix content director Yuji Yamano is convinced the market is far from saturated, though, and believes competition will only make "the industry even more exciting".

"Globally, I only see more room for growth in anime."

From R-rated sci-fi to teen biker gang adventures, streaming platforms are locked in an intensifying battle for dominance in one of the entertainment sector's hottest and most lucrative mediums: anime.

From R-rated sci-fi to teen biker gang adventures, streaming platforms are locked in an intensifying battle for dominance in one of the entertainment sector's hottest and most lucrative mediums: anime. Fuelled in part by the pandemic, the popularity of the cartoons pioneered in Japan has created a goldmine for streaming giants such as Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime. The global anime market was valued at $28.6 billion in 2022, according to Grand View Research, and is forecast to double in value by 2030. "The peak may still be ahead of us," Aya Umezu, CEO of Tokyo-based entertainment consulting firm GEM Partners, told AFP. "We doubt the competition in anime will slow down soon." Globally, demand for anime increased by 35 percent from 2020 to 2021, according to industry specialist service Parrot Analytics. It is little wonder, then, that international streamers are scrambling for ways to capitalise on the surging interest. Recent years have seen Disney+, a relative latecomer to anime, start offering fan favourites also found elsewhere like "Demon Slayer", "Spy x Family" and "Jujutsu Kaisen". "Having them can prevent subscription cancellations -- that's how strong these IPs (intellectual properties) are," Umezu said. Offering these titles is seen as a baseline, and far from sufficient to win the loyalty of anime fans with increasingly diverse options available. That has meant platforms are looking to either secure exclusive rights to content or co-produce their own original anime in a bid to stand out. - Breaking open the market - Last year, Disney+ announced exclusive streaming rights to season two of smash-hit teen biker gang saga "Tokyo Revengers", part of a lucrative deal with publishing giant Kodansha. Amazon Prime has also sought to "monopolise" blockbusters, said anime expert Tadashi Sudo, including "One Piece Film: Red" -- Japan's highest-grossing movie last year. Netflix has proven something of an outlier in this market, going beyond snatching up existing hits to work directly with animation studios, granting them an unusual amount of creative leeway to make new stories. Traditionally, Japanese anime emerges from "production committees" made up of publishers, TV broadcasters, toy-makers and other industry players. These have long had a key role in broadening revenue possibilities for a series, from character merchandising to gaming. Netflix ruffled industry feathers when it teamed up directly with Tokyo animation studio Production I.G in 2018, bypassing the system. "Some (in the anime industry) were upset because they thought we would destroy what they had built over all these years," Production I.G president Mitsuhisa Ishikawa said. He went as far as likening Netflix to the "Black Ships" -- the 19th-century US vessels that forced the opening of Japan after hundreds of years of trade isolation. "The domestic way of making anime was suddenly forced open," he said. Netflix has reaped the rewards, with its original content making it "the platform that drove the largest increase in global demand for anime in 2021", said Christofer Hamilton of US-based Parrot Analytics. - 'Experimental' push - But even streaming goliaths with worldwide influence have comparatively small audience numbers in Japan. That raises red flags for some industry players, especially publishers who want maximum exposure for anime adaptations of their manga titles and worry exclusive streaming deals would limit their reach in Japan. There is "a clash of two opposing interests -- between platforms who want more exclusives and production committee players who want as little of a monopoly (for streaming services) as possible", said anime specialist Sudo. Experts say this conflict often leads to Netflix original deals being based on works that are less likely to become national sensations like "Demon Slayer". None of Netflix's original anime made their top-20 most-watched list for Japan users in 2022, according to GEM Partners senior data analyst Shota Ito. The streamer is, however, an attractive prospect for studios with more commercially challenging projects that the traditional market could find too niche. Early original content on Netflix reflected this, and was heavy on shows critics say evoked the hardcore sci-fi anime of a few decades ago. Among these was "Devilman Crybaby", the tale of a "demon-boy" that featured violence and nudity galore. "My sense is that creators wanted to do something with us that they had little chance to do under the existing system," Netflix chief anime producer Taiki Sakurai told AFP. That initial "experimental" push has since given way to a broader roster, including comedy, traditional "shonen" targeting young boys and even a stop-motion project starring a teddy bear. Long-standing fans also have other dedicated services to turn to, including the huge online anime library Crunchyroll. Netflix content director Yuji Yamano is convinced the market is far from saturated, though, and believes competition will only make "the industry even more exciting". "Globally, I only see more room for growth in anime."

Streaming giants battle for anime supremacy

In an escalation of his feud with&nbsp;Disney, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a bill into law that&nbsp;gives a new board he controls, the power to void development agreements with the entertainment giant, signed by a predecessor body.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Under the new law,&nbsp;a new board appointed by DeSantis to govern the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, which houses the Walt Disney World resort can cancel any deals signed up to three months before the board's creation.&nbsp;

"Make no mistake about it, the reason why the legislature had to act was not because of anything we did," said DeSantis at a press conference on Friday.

"It was basically born out of Disney’s arrogance that they would be able to subcontract around the duly enacted laws of the state of Florida. That's wrong."

The new oversight body has also ruled out Disney's plans for potential expansion of Disney World in Orlando stating it does not comply with the state law.&nbsp;

"We have a fundamental disagreement in this state, in terms of what we think is appropriate for children, and what the people in Burbank, California, think is appropriate," DeSantis added.&nbsp;

Disney sues Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over 'retaliation'

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<h2>Disney sues, DeSantis countersues</h2>

Disney is challenging the legality of the new board and has filed a complaint. However, earlier this week, the DeSantis-appointed board countersued Disney saying it was left with no choice.&nbsp;

"Disney sued us, we have no choice now but to respond," said Martin Garcia, chair of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, according to Politico.

"The district will seek justice in state court here in central Florida where both it and Disney reside and do business."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/florida-governor-desantis-backed-board-to-countersue-disney-587951">ALSO READ |&nbsp;Florida Governor DeSantis-backed board to countersue Disney</a>

The dispute between the Florida governor and Disney began after the latter criticised the state's Parental Rights in Education Act, colloquially known as the "Don't Say Gay" bill.

Since then, taking on a 'woke' Disney has become one of the major poll planks for DeSantis who is expected to announce his presidential nomination in the coming weeks.&nbsp;He has called his battle with Disney a fight against “woke” companies.&nbsp;

DeSantis is looking to take on former president Donald Trump to secure the party nomination. The Disney controversy has earned him points in the conservative circles and he is now doubling down on the issue to go for the jugular.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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In an escalation of his feud with Disney, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a bill into law that gives a new board he controls, the power to void development agreements with the entertainment giant, signed by a predecessor body.

In an escalation of his feud with Disney, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a bill into law that gives a new board he controls, the power to void development agreements with the entertainment giant, signed by a predecessor body. Under the new law, a new board appointed by DeSantis to govern the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, which houses the Walt Disney World resort can cancel any deals signed up to three months before the board's creation. "Make no mistake about it, the reason why the legislature had to act was not because of anything we did," said DeSantis at a press conference on Friday. "It was basically born out of Disney’s arrogance that they would be able to subcontract around the duly enacted laws of the state of Florida. That's wrong." The new oversight body has also ruled out Disney's plans for potential expansion of Disney World in Orlando stating it does not comply with the state law. "We have a fundamental disagreement in this state, in terms of what we think is appropriate for children, and what the people in Burbank, California, think is appropriate," DeSantis added. Disney sues Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over 'retaliation' Disney sues, DeSantis countersues Disney is challenging the legality of the new board and has filed a complaint. However, earlier this week, the DeSantis-appointed board countersued Disney saying it was left with no choice. "Disney sued us, we have no choice now but to respond," said Martin Garcia, chair of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, according to Politico. "The district will seek justice in state court here in central Florida where both it and Disney reside and do business." ALSO READ | Florida Governor DeSantis-backed board to countersue Disney The dispute between the Florida governor and Disney began after the latter criticised the state's Parental Rights in Education Act, colloquially known as the "Don't Say Gay" bill. Since then, taking on a 'woke' Disney has become one of the major poll planks for DeSantis who is expected to announce his presidential nomination in the coming weeks. He has called his battle with Disney a fight against “woke” companies. DeSantis is looking to take on former president Donald Trump to secure the party nomination. The Disney controversy has earned him points in the conservative circles and he is now doubling down on the issue to go for the jugular. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Florida governor DeSantis signs bill allowing new board to cancel Disney deals

BuzzFeed News, the digital news website that took the internet by storm right at the cusp of social media's revolutionary turn in the 2010s, will soon shutter itself down. But once upon a time, BuzzFeed let go of a half-a-billion-dollar buyout offer and kept on riding the digital media wave until it finally drowned under the weight of its own success in April 2023.

<h2>BuzzFeed-Disney unsuccessful buyout deal: What happened?</h2>

According to former BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith, about a decade ago, BuzzFeed President Jon Steinberg reportedly got on his knees to beg its founder, Jonah Peretti, to accept a $650 million buyout deal from Disney.

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;Buzzfeed news to shut down

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In an excerpt shared with Vanity Fair from his upcoming book Traffic, Smith says that in the early 2010s, Disney was searching for a way to break into the&nbsp;media landscape with social media engagement as a defining Unique Selling Point (USP).&nbsp;

At the same time, BuzzFeed emerged as the heralding-in-chief of digital media, with up to 130 million unique visitors a month.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/disney-next-in-line-for-layoffs-to-cut-7000-jobs-in-cost-saving-efforts-560164">Disney next in line for layoffs, to cut 7,000 jobs in cost-saving efforts</a>

Smith writes how BuzzFeed founder Peretti began negotiations with Disney. Peretti listed what he would want for the deal to go through, which included an asking price of $600 million.

A meeting between top Disney and BuzzFeed executives took place.&nbsp;

The BuzzFeed president pushed his company's founder to take the buyout deal.

In a classic 'Godfather' way, Disney came up with an offer they thought BuzzFeed would not refuse.&nbsp;

Disney’s official offer came through later, Smith writes, to buy the business for $450 million with the potential for an additional $200 million.

"It became clear that this was an offer that Peretti, almost, couldn’t refuse," Smith writes.&nbsp;

<h2>BuzzFeed-Disney unsuccessful buyout deal: So what went wrong?</h2>

According to Ben Smith, Peretti was invited to speak at Disney's management retreat in front of 250 members of the staff. After the event, the BuzzFeed founder was supposed to meet Disney CEO Ben Iger privately.

Smith writes that "Iger had staged Peretti’s speech in a marquee slot to welcome him to the [Disney] family," and the internet entrepreneur "delivered one of his standard, edgy monologues."

The speech, Smith writes, did not go down very well.&nbsp;

An HR executive for Disney observed that BuzzFeed founder's comments about Mormons and Jews made him a "problem," according to Smith.&nbsp;

"Peretti had never gotten fewer laughs in his life," Smith wrote.

Peretti came off-stage and told Iger he couldn’t take the deal, Smith writes.

According to Smith, the BuzzFeed president was convinced that his news outlet would taste Facebook-like success. The Disney CEO thought otherwise.

The Disney CEO Ben Iger reportedly told an aide: "F**k him, he loses. That company will never be worth what it would have been worth with us."

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BuzzFeed News, the digital news website that took the internet by storm right at the cusp of social media's revolutionary turn in the 2010s, will soon shutter itself down.

BuzzFeed News, the digital news website that took the internet by storm right at the cusp of social media's revolutionary turn in the 2010s, will soon shutter itself down. But once upon a time, BuzzFeed let go of a half-a-billion-dollar buyout offer and kept on riding the digital media wave until it finally drowned under the weight of its own success in April 2023. BuzzFeed-Disney unsuccessful buyout deal: What happened? According to former BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith, about a decade ago, BuzzFeed President Jon Steinberg reportedly got on his knees to beg its founder, Jonah Peretti, to accept a $650 million buyout deal from Disney. ALSO WATCH | Buzzfeed news to shut down × In an excerpt shared with Vanity Fair from his upcoming book Traffic, Smith says that in the early 2010s, Disney was searching for a way to break into the media landscape with social media engagement as a defining Unique Selling Point (USP). At the same time, BuzzFeed emerged as the heralding-in-chief of digital media, with up to 130 million unique visitors a month. ALSO READ | Disney next in line for layoffs, to cut 7,000 jobs in cost-saving efforts Smith writes how BuzzFeed founder Peretti began negotiations with Disney. Peretti listed what he would want for the deal to go through, which included an asking price of $600 million. A meeting between top Disney and BuzzFeed executives took place. The BuzzFeed president pushed his company's founder to take the buyout deal. In a classic 'Godfather' way, Disney came up with an offer they thought BuzzFeed would not refuse. Disney’s official offer came through later, Smith writes, to buy the business for $450 million with the potential for an additional $200 million. "It became clear that this was an offer that Peretti, almost, couldn’t refuse," Smith writes. BuzzFeed-Disney unsuccessful buyout deal: So what went wrong? According to Ben Smith, Peretti was invited to speak at Disney's management retreat in front of 250 members of the staff. After the event, the BuzzFeed founder was supposed to meet Disney CEO Ben Iger privately. Smith writes that "Iger had staged Peretti’s speech in a marquee slot to welcome him to the [Disney] family," and the internet entrepreneur "delivered one of his standard, edgy monologues." The speech, Smith writes, did not go down very well. An HR executive for Disney observed that BuzzFeed founder's comments about Mormons and Jews made him a "problem," according to Smith. "Peretti had never gotten fewer laughs in his life," Smith wrote. Peretti came off-stage and told Iger he couldn’t take the deal, Smith writes. According to Smith, the BuzzFeed president was convinced that his news outlet would taste Facebook-like success. The Disney CEO thought otherwise. The Disney CEO Ben Iger reportedly told an aide: "F**k him, he loses. That company will never be worth what it would have been worth with us." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

How BuzzFeed missed Disney's whopping $650 million buyout deal

The board of supervisors backed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has decided to countersue Disney over the long-running dispute for the authority of the entertainment giant’s central Florida theme park. Disney filed a lawsuit against the Republican governor last Wednesday, claiming that he orchestrated a "targeted campaign of government retaliation" against the company that violates Disney's free speech rights.

Disney Versus DeSantis: Florida Governor DeSantis-backed board to countersue Disney

Disney sued Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the latest salvo in a long-running fight over the company's self-governing powers in the area of the state that encompasses Walt Disney World Resort.

Disney sues Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over 'retaliation'

Walt Disney is set to eliminate nearly 7,000 jobs next week, including about 15% of the staff in its entertainment division.

Disney to cut 7,000 jobs amid more layoffs

Disney CEO Bob Iger on Monday said any retaliatory actions by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature against the company that threaten jobs or expansion at its Florida resort is not only “anti-business ... but anti-Florida.”

Answering a question during an online shareholders’ meeting, Iger said that the Republican governor and lawmakers appeared to be retaliating against the company for exercising its constitutional rights. He referred to the incident last year when Disney criticised Florida’s law dubbed by critics “Don’t Say Gay” while Bob Chapek was helming the company at the time. The measure bars instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, as well as lessons deemed not age-appropriate.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-explained--ron-desantis-takes-control-of-disneys-self-governing-district-in-florida-amid-dont-say-gay-row-566819">Explained | Ron DeSantis takes control of Disney's self-governing district in Florida amid 'Don't Say Gay' row</a>

In response, Florida lawmakers passed, and DeSantis signed, legislation revamping the government-like board that oversees Walt Disney World’s 27,000-acre (11,000-hectare) property outside Orlando. Among the changes the legislation made was that the Florida governor got to pick the five supervisors of the governing board instead of it being controlled by Disney, as it had been in its previous 55 years.

During the shareholders’ meeting, Iger declared the company’s love for the state of Florida, noting it was the largest taxpayer in the state and employed around 75,000 workers. The company has plans to make $17 billion in investments at Disney World over the next 10 years that will create an additional 13,000 jobs, he said.

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Iger acknowledged that there may have been some missteps in how Disney initially responded to the Florida legislation — the company took its time in speaking out against it publicly, and only after Disney employees exerted internal pressure. But he said the company, which is based in Burbank, California, had a right to free speech, just as individuals do.

Some shareholders during the question-and-answer period of the meeting criticized the company for promoting a “woke” agenda, while a Disney employee thanked Iger for supporting the company’s workers. Iger responded that Disney’s primary goal is to entertain and is not driven by an agenda.

By taking on Disney, DeSantis attempted to further his reputation as a culture warrior willing to battle perceived political enemies and wield the power of state government to accomplish political goals, a strategy that is expected to continue ahead of his potential White House run.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-explained-how-disney-is-trying-hard-not-to-fail-as-marvel-magic-wanes-563335">Explained: How Disney is trying hard not to fail as Marvel magic wanes</a>

But the DeSantis-appointed supervisors said last week at the second meeting of the revamped board that their predecessors had pulled a fast one on them by passing restrictive covenants that strip the new board of most of its powers.

Disney has said all agreements were above board and took place in public.

DeSantis on Monday asked Florida’s chief inspector general, with help from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, to launch an investigation into the actions of the previous board.

DeSantis said in a letter to the chief inspector general that any legal or ethical violations should be referred to “the appropriate authorities.”

“Disney is again fighting to keep its special corporate benefits and dodge Florida law,” DeSantis spokesman Jeremy Redfern said in an email. “We are not going to let that happen. As Governor DeSantis recently said, ‘You ain’t seen nothing yet.’” 
&nbsp;

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Disney CEO Bob Iger on Monday said any retaliatory actions by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature against the company that threaten jobs or expansion at its Florida resort is not only “anti-business .

Disney CEO Bob Iger on Monday said any retaliatory actions by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature against the company that threaten jobs or expansion at its Florida resort is not only “anti-business ... but anti-Florida.” Answering a question during an online shareholders’ meeting, Iger said that the Republican governor and lawmakers appeared to be retaliating against the company for exercising its constitutional rights. He referred to the incident last year when Disney criticised Florida’s law dubbed by critics “Don’t Say Gay” while Bob Chapek was helming the company at the time. The measure bars instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, as well as lessons deemed not age-appropriate. Also Read: Explained | Ron DeSantis takes control of Disney's self-governing district in Florida amid 'Don't Say Gay' row In response, Florida lawmakers passed, and DeSantis signed, legislation revamping the government-like board that oversees Walt Disney World’s 27,000-acre (11,000-hectare) property outside Orlando. Among the changes the legislation made was that the Florida governor got to pick the five supervisors of the governing board instead of it being controlled by Disney, as it had been in its previous 55 years. During the shareholders’ meeting, Iger declared the company’s love for the state of Florida, noting it was the largest taxpayer in the state and employed around 75,000 workers. The company has plans to make $17 billion in investments at Disney World over the next 10 years that will create an additional 13,000 jobs, he said. Iger acknowledged that there may have been some missteps in how Disney initially responded to the Florida legislation — the company took its time in speaking out against it publicly, and only after Disney employees exerted internal pressure. But he said the company, which is based in Burbank, California, had a right to free speech, just as individuals do. Some shareholders during the question-and-answer period of the meeting criticized the company for promoting a “woke” agenda, while a Disney employee thanked Iger for supporting the company’s workers. Iger responded that Disney’s primary goal is to entertain and is not driven by an agenda. By taking on Disney, DeSantis attempted to further his reputation as a culture warrior willing to battle perceived political enemies and wield the power of state government to accomplish political goals, a strategy that is expected to continue ahead of his potential White House run. Also Read: Explained: How Disney is trying hard not to fail as Marvel magic wanes But the DeSantis-appointed supervisors said last week at the second meeting of the revamped board that their predecessors had pulled a fast one on them by passing restrictive covenants that strip the new board of most of its powers. Disney has said all agreements were above board and took place in public. DeSantis on Monday asked Florida’s chief inspector general, with help from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, to launch an investigation into the actions of the previous board. DeSantis said in a letter to the chief inspector general that any legal or ethical violations should be referred to “the appropriate authorities.” “Disney is again fighting to keep its special corporate benefits and dodge Florida law,” DeSantis spokesman Jeremy Redfern said in an email. “We are not going to let that happen. As Governor DeSantis recently said, ‘You ain’t seen nothing yet.’” WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Disney vs Ron DeSantis: Bob Iger says Florida Gov's retaliatory actions 'anti-business', 'anti-Florida'

US entertainment conglomerate Walt Disney laid off Marvel mogul Isaac "Ike" Perlmutter in a move to control costs, reported Reuters quoting a source. This comes two days after the media giant started to slash 7,000 jobs, an action the firm announced earlier this year.&nbsp;

The move is seen as revenge taken by Disney after Marvel Entertainment Chairman Perlmutter backed Nelson Peltz in his failed bid for a seat on the company's corporate board, as per reports.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/marriage-a-license-to-rape-indias-top-court-to-hear-pleas-on-marital-rape-these-countries-criminalise-it-576588">Marriage a license to rape? India's top court to hear pleas on marital rape; these countries criminalise it</a>

Marvel Entertainment is a division of The Walt Disney Company since 1 September 2009 and is popular for Marvel Comics, a flagship property. Reuters while citing another source said that Perlmutter was informed about his layoff on Wednesday and was told that Marvel Entertainment would be merged into larger Disney business units.&nbsp;

However, there are no comments made so far by Perlmutter. Disney acquired Marvel Entertainment for US$4 billion in 2009.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nashville-school-shooter-sent-a-cryptic-warning-text-to-ex-classmate-it-only-makes-sense-now-577038">Nashville school shooter sent a cryptic warning text to ex-classmate, it only makes sense now</a>

Later, in a bid to restructure Marvel, Marvel Studios was placed under Walt Disney Studios. At the time, Perlmutter was able to retain his position at Marvel Entertainment.&nbsp;

The Mouse House is letting go of its employees in response to its slow subscriber growth and rising competition for streaming consumers, the company said about a month ago.&nbsp;Disney is vying to achieve $5.5bn in cost savings.&nbsp;

Investors earlier expressed their concerns that the media company was overspending on the global streaming business.

Watch | Israel protests: US President Joe Biden urges Netanyahu to abandon judicial overhaul

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In a recent announcement, it said that the company will reorganize itself into three main segments: an entertainment division that includes film, television, and streaming; an ESPN division that focuses on sports; as well as Disney theme parks, experiences, and goods.

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US entertainment conglomerate Walt Disney laid off Marvel mogul Isaac "Ike" Perlmutter in a move to control costs, reported Reuters quoting a source. This comes two days after the media giant started to slash 7,000 jobs, an action the firm announced earlier this year.

US entertainment conglomerate Walt Disney laid off Marvel mogul Isaac "Ike" Perlmutter in a move to control costs, reported Reuters quoting a source. This comes two days after the media giant started to slash 7,000 jobs, an action the firm announced earlier this year. The move is seen as revenge taken by Disney after Marvel Entertainment Chairman Perlmutter backed Nelson Peltz in his failed bid for a seat on the company's corporate board, as per reports. Also Read | Marriage a license to rape? India's top court to hear pleas on marital rape; these countries criminalise it Marvel Entertainment is a division of The Walt Disney Company since 1 September 2009 and is popular for Marvel Comics, a flagship property. Reuters while citing another source said that Perlmutter was informed about his layoff on Wednesday and was told that Marvel Entertainment would be merged into larger Disney business units. However, there are no comments made so far by Perlmutter. Disney acquired Marvel Entertainment for US$4 billion in 2009. Also Read | Nashville school shooter sent a cryptic warning text to ex-classmate, it only makes sense now Later, in a bid to restructure Marvel, Marvel Studios was placed under Walt Disney Studios. At the time, Perlmutter was able to retain his position at Marvel Entertainment. The Mouse House is letting go of its employees in response to its slow subscriber growth and rising competition for streaming consumers, the company said about a month ago. Disney is vying to achieve $5.5bn in cost savings. Investors earlier expressed their concerns that the media company was overspending on the global streaming business. Watch | Israel protests: US President Joe Biden urges Netanyahu to abandon judicial overhaul × In a recent announcement, it said that the company will reorganize itself into three main segments: an entertainment division that includes film, television, and streaming; an ESPN division that focuses on sports; as well as Disney theme parks, experiences, and goods. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Disney lays off Marvel Entertainment chairman Isaac Perlmutter

A law to revoke Disney World's self-governing authority within the 39-square-mile Reedy Creek Improvement District was signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Monday (RCID). For many years, Walt Disney World has been given a unique governance zone that provides the firm authority similar to those of a state government.

DeSantis ends Disney World's 'corporate kingdom', company loses self-governing status with new law

DeSantis claims state authority over land surrounding Disney World

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