Changes may be coming soon for a Disney Company that once wanted to moderate away from divisive political situations. Is Bob Chapek ready to alter policy to achieve his goals?
The following article is distinctly rumor. It is not to be taken as absolute fact nor as objective reporting. See WDW Pro’s track record on rumors to determine for yourself the potential validity of these unverified, uncorroborated comments.
According to multiple sources familiar with The Walt Disney Company, the previously planned efforts to moderate the corporation through new official policies is still a-go. The prior changes were supposed to go through in April of this year but were indefinitely canceled after the uproar over Florida legislation responses and the Disney Walkout movement. Now, with all of that in the rear view mirror and Bob Chapek renewed for years to come as CEO (complete with $20 million bonuses each year), the company is reportedly ready to push for those moderating policies via changes expected to come either late this year or early next.
ICYMI: Disney CEO Bob Chapek to Receive $20 Million Bonus Every Yearhttps://t.co/4pXU6Yzn2N pic.twitter.com/qqFMZ0pKmI
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The main thing that seems to be coming through from discussions I’ve had is that a plan was put in place during the Board’s week-long meetings in Orlando, Florida. Though the specifics of that alleged plan remain mostly obscured, some sources are saying that the Board wants to return to a prior strategy now that the winds have shifted in the mood of consumers towards Disney.
Sources that I have spoken to expect a company-wide announcement to take place either in November or February, depending on factors that could shift he date. Another source claims it could be slightly later, perhaps in March of 2023. No reason was given as to why it would be held up. Such a policy shift would be coupled with the new Disney pillars presented at the beginning of this year. In particular, moderating away from divisive material in family entertainment would relate to the dictate that the company cease working against its own audience.
Additionally, I now believe that Chapek and the Board intended to make more personnel changes intended to assist in quelling dissent and pushback about the company’s need to moderate. This is in line with what I was reporting a month ago:
Don’t be surprised if this isn’t the last big firing from Bob Chapek. It seems that he feels confident that his job is secure and now it’s time to start emptying out the bad actors at the company (in his opinion, not ours) who are potentially insubordinating the fiduciary goals of the company. He weathered the storm, he’s seeing Disney’s polling numbers plummet. Now, after people have gone on to talk about other things, it’s time to start taking out people who may not be very well-known to the average public, but who may have been behind much of what was going on.
As for how this policy change will impact operations inside Disney, sources believe that Kareem Daniel will be empowered to help curtail potentially damaging material at a greater level. In the wake of the Disney Walkout movement, the company has not been censoring material that could damage its revenue potentials. Such was the case with Lightyear. Furthermore, another rumor we are working to follow up on is claiming that Jon Favreau may be brought in as a creative liaison between the corporate management of Disney and the various studios’ management tiers. Others may also be drafted into a panel to assist in listening to studio desires while also filtering content in such a way as to make it accessible to the broadest possible demographics. In particular, I am hearing that Disney leadership at the highest level is concerned its major studios have stopped working towards broad appeal in order to push less financially viable world views. Marvel, Pixar, Lucasfilm, and Disney Animation Studios are all under the spotlight, according to sources I have chatted with.
In signs of positivity moving forward, Disney is working, allegedly, to sign major actors to multi-movie deals with the MCU in order to bring together a huge multiverse extravaganza. And according to Hollywood writer, Kamran Pasha, he is hearing from private messages out of Disney employees that CEO Bob Chapek is reassuring executives that he intends to move the company away from political and ideological sticky situations.
Disney is still in a huge mess. But an official policy change that would enforce political neutrality inside the company would be a huge step in the right direction. It looks like we’ll be getting that after all.
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