Disney News

Tag: walt disney co

  • Disney to Halt Contributions to U.S. Lawmakers who Opposed Biden Certification

    Disney to Halt Contributions to U.S. Lawmakers who Opposed Biden Certification

    The Walt Disney Co joined other major companies in indefinitely suspending donations to U.S. lawmakers who voted against President-elect Joe Biden’s election certification.

    Disney, the entertainment company, said in a statement that in the “immediate aftermath of that appalling siege, members of Congress had an opportunity to unite — an opportunity that some sadly refused to embrace. In light of these events, we have decided we will not make political contributions in 2021 to lawmakers who voted to reject the certification of the Electoral College votes.”

    Disney CEO Bob Chapek condemned the violent act of rioters at the U.S. Capitol, noting that Wednesday’s unprecedented fatal events marked “a sad and tragic day for our country, one unlike any other in our history,” as you can see in the tweet below:

    That’s significant news in Florida, where the Walt Disney Company operates its largest theme park and resort property. Florisa Sen. Rick Scott objected to Pennsylvania’s slate of electors and 12 members of the House objected to both Pennsylvania and Arizona.

    The Center for Responsive Politics reports the Walt Disney Company made more than $19 million in federal political donations in the 2020 cycle alone. The corporation wrote checks for candidates on both sides of the aisle, donating nearly $1.2 million to Biden’s Presidential campaign but also almost $656,000 to the Republican National Committee and nearly $627,000 to the DNC Services Corp.

    AT&T, parent company of WarnerMedia, and Comcast, parent of NBCUniversal, announced on Monday that they would be suspending contributions, joining a host of other companies including Marriott, Blue Cross Blue Shield and American Express.

  • Disney Offers Free Tuition For 80,000 Hourly Workers

    Disney Offers Free Tuition For 80,000 Hourly Workers

    The Walt Disney Co. is offering to pay full tuition for hourly workers who want to earn a college degree, finish a high school diploma or learn a new skill, the entertainment giant said Wednesday.

    As many as 80,000 hourly workers in the United States could be eligible for the program, which pays upfront tuition for employees taking online classes starting this fall.

    Disney initially will invest $50 million into the “Disney Aspire” program and up to $25 million a year after that, the company said.

    “We can’t wait to see what paths our cast members take with Disney Aspire,” the company said in a blog post.

    Disney joins other large corporations that have begun paying tuition for workers in a job market with historically low unemployment. In May, Walmart said it will offer workers the chance to get a college degree at three universities with online programs.

    Starbucks partnered with Arizona State University to offer tuition coverage for U.S. workers earning a bachelor’s degree.

    Disney is rolling out its program in phases, with the first limited to online classes. In-classroom courses could be added if there’s demand for them, a spokeswoman said.

    Disney’s program is being administered by Guild Education, the same Denver-based firm operating Walmart’s program.

  • Disney Filing Discloses Fox’s Reasons For Rejecting Comcast Bid

    Disney Filing Discloses Fox’s Reasons For Rejecting Comcast Bid

    In a filing made by Walt Disney Co with the Securities and Exchange Commission today, in their efforts to acquire Fox’s film and TV assets, we now know Fox’s reasons for rejecting Comcast’s offer.

    Walt Disney Co announced the purchased most of 21st Century Fox’s assets back in December in a deal worth $52.4 billion. At the time it was well-known that Comcast Corp had also been bidding on the assets, but they eventually bowed out.

    In documents filed with the SEC today, Disney disclosed Fox’s reasons for rejecting the rival offer without disclosing the bidder.

    The documents state that Fox rejected a deal with another entity — that multiple sources have identified as Comcast Corp — due to higher regulatory risks.