New Disney CEO Addresses ABC Correspondent Suspended Over Project Veritas Video In Shareholder Meeting
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New Disney CEO Bob Chapek addressed the suspension of an ABC News correspondent in a shareholder meeting after the correspondent was secretly recorded talking about his socialist views by Project Veritas.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, during the meeting, a shareholder complained that the Disney-owned ABC News “continues to run overwhelmingly negative stories about President Trump” and shows an “extreme anti-conservative bias.”
In response, Chapek said, “Interestingly enough, the very first trip I took after I got the new job was to ABC News, and I must say I was overwhelmed by their professionalism and their commitment to objectivity.”
Chapek also addressed the suspension of correspondent David Wright, who he claimed “said some things that made us question his objectivity and obviously when you’re reporting the news, there’s no place for someone who’s got a heavily subjective opinion.”
“So internally we dealt with that situation,” Chapek declared.
Wright was suspended from ABC News in February after he was secretly recorded by Project Veritas saying, “I consider myself a socialist,” and “I’m totally fine with reining in corporations. I think there are too many billionaires, and I think that there’s a wealth gap. That’s a problem.”
Wright also offered critical commentary on the network’s Trump coverage and Disney synergy on news programs.
One shareholder also reportedly complained about Disney’s LGBT policy, commenting, “Please, let’s not have Gay Pride in the Disneyland parks,” to which Chapek responded, “At Disney we strongly believe that we should reflect in our creative content the diversity that we find in our fan base and with our audience. And I believe that will continue with an increased commitment as we move forward…. We believe we want to tell stories that our audience wants to hear and that reflects their lives.”
Following the shareholders meeting, Justin Danhof, the man who confronted Chapek about ABC News, told Fox News, “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss… Mr. Chapek seems content to stick his head in the sand when it comes to the pervasive anti-conservative bias across ABC News, just as his predecessor Mr. Iger always was. The bias is blatant.”
Chapek, who previously worked as Disney Parks chairman, took over as CEO from Bob Iger last month.
