The U.S. government agency responsible for regulating television has announced an investigation into Disney’s practices regarding diversity and inclusion, reflecting increasing scrutiny on media companies. Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), sent a letter to Disney and its ABC News division on Friday to inform them of this initiative.
Carr indicated that the investigation was initiated due to concerns that Disney may be promoting diversity in a way that does not align with government regulations. A representative from Disney stated that the company is currently reviewing the letter. “We look forward to engaging with the commission to address its inquiries,” the spokesperson remarked in a statement.
This investigation into Disney coincides with a broader effort by the Trump administration to scrutinize diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices, with repercussions extending beyond the United States. Recently, French companies holding U.S. government contracts received a communication from the American embassy in France, urging them to adhere to Trump’s executive order prohibiting DEI programs.
The letter specified that this order “applies to all suppliers and service providers of the U.S. government, irrespective of their nationality or the country in which they operate.” In his correspondence with Disney’s CEO, Robert Iger, Carr expressed his intention to ensure that the media company “eliminates any and all discriminatory practices in substance, not merely in name.” He further stated, “I aim to ascertain whether Disney’s actions—whether ongoing or recently concluded—have consistently complied with relevant FCC regulations.” Carr has been a member of the FCC since 2017 and was appointed to lead the agency by Trump in November.
Since his appointment, he has intensified the examination of media companies, initiating investigations into NPR and PBS while requesting information from major technology firms such as Apple and Google regarding their services that affect the ranking of news articles. The FCC has also launched inquiries into Verizon and Comcast, along with its media division, NBCUniversal, concerning their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Earlier this year, Disney, renowned for its animated classics and theme parks, revised its DEI policies.
“In light of reports suggesting that Disney has recently scaled back some of its DEI initiatives, I still have significant concerns,” Carr stated in his letter. “I want to ensure that Disney and ABC are not infringing upon FCC equal employment opportunity regulations by endorsing discriminatory forms of DEI.” He expressed a desire for information regarding the guidelines on diversity representation in characters, among other related initiatives.
This inquiry is not the first instance of Disney being a target of political scrutiny. Last year, the company agreed to a $15 million settlement in a defamation lawsuit filed by Donald Trump after an ABC anchor inaccurately claimed that the president had been found “liable for rape.”
A New York jury had previously ruled that Trump was liable for “sexual abuse,” which is defined specifically under New York law. Additionally, Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has had a prolonged conflict with Disney after the company criticized a state law, referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, which limited discussions of sexuality in educational settings. Disney has also faced backlash from conservatives for allegedly promoting “woke” themes in its films.
