At the moment, nobody is defending Disney. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has launched an inquiry into the company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. On Friday, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced the investigation, formally warning Disney and its ABC News subsidiary of the probe. This move has occurred in the context of a larger effort by the Trump administration to deny DEI practices.
The complaint had originally started the investigation after an unusual letter from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to Disney CEO Robert Iger. Specifically, the letter demanded to know what rules govern diversity representation in Disney’s characters, among other DEI efforts. Carr expressed his intention to ensure compliance with FCC equal employment opportunity regulations, asserting that he wants to “ensure that Disney and ABC have not been violating FCC equal employment opportunity regulations by promoting invidious forms of DEI discrimination.”
It’s true—earlier this year, Disney completely reworked their DEI strategies. This amendment drew strong responses from both proponents and opponents of the change. Disney remains under fire from every angle that conservatives can muster. For example, they claim the company should stop pushing “woke” agendas through its movies. The company’s political involvement has included past confrontations with figures such as Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over controversial state laws.
Besides the FCC investigation, Disney has recently come under fire from international organizations. At one point, the American embassy in France sent a letter pressuring Disney to obey then-President Trump’s executive order prohibiting DEI programs. According to the embassy, the executive order “applies to all suppliers and service providers of the US government, regardless of their nationality and the country in which they operate.”
Disney’s legal challenges extend beyond regulatory scrutiny. Not long ago, the company reached a $15 million settlement of a defamation lawsuit filed against them by Donald Trump. This came on the heels of ABC’s erroneous reporting that Trump was found “liable for rape.”
The FCC’s investigation of Disney is just a part of a larger inquiry into DEI practices at Fortune 500 companies. In addition to Disney, Verizon and Comcast—along with its media unit NBCUniversal—are being reviewed. Carr emphasized his intent to ascertain whether Disney’s actions “complied at all times with applicable FCC regulations” while acknowledging reports suggesting some DEI programs may have been curtailed.
“While I have seen reports that Disney recently walked back some of its DEI programs, significant concerns remain,” – Brendan Carr
Disney’s spokesperson responded to the investigation by stating that the company is reviewing the FCC’s letter and looks forward to engaging with the commission to address its questions.