Disney shuts off LA Times from advance screenings over Disney business coverage

[bcla]

The Los Angeles Times published a feature article about whether or not Disney's monetary relationship with the city of Anaheim. The article in question (linked in the following) starts with a claim that the city paid over $100 million for and owns the Mickey & Friends garage at Disneyland, Disney collects the money, and only pays the city $1 a year as a lease on the structure (but not the land).

http://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...imes-note-on-disney-1509668978-htmlstory.html

It's also currently on the DIS news sidebar.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/news-stories...vie-screenings-due-to-a-story-they-published/

 

[mummabear]

Is this biting of their nose to spite their face?

Loosing free advertsing on their upcoming releases, plus potentially putting the LA times further offside

 

[jdb in AZ]

Is this biting of their nose to spite their face?

Losing free advertising on their upcoming releases, plus potentially putting the LA times further offside

When people talk about the lack of LA Times coverage, that's a form of advertising too. And Disney won't need advertising for the upcoming Star Wars movie. As one of the comments on the article says, "Anaheim (and Los Angeles) needs Disney more than Disney needs Anaheim."

Anaheim might not be collecting $$$$$$ on Disneyland parking, but they make up the revenue in taxes from nearby hotels, restaurants, rental cars, etc.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

The Los Angeles Times published a feature article about whether or not Disney's monetary relationship with the city of Anaheim. The article in question (linked in the following) starts with a claim that the city paid over $100 million for and owns the Mickey & Friends garage at Disneyland, Disney collects the money, and only pays the city $1 a year as a lease on the structure (but not the land).

http://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...imes-note-on-disney-1509668978-htmlstory.html

It's also currently on the DIS news sidebar.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/news-stories...vie-screenings-due-to-a-story-they-published/

Do they maintain the structure?

 

[L&Lfan]

Anaheim should give Disney anything it wants. Imagine if they said we're outta here and built a WDW sized resort elsewhere. Screw Anaheim and the LA Times fake news.

 

[bcla]

Disney just lifted the ban. Apparently what did it was several news sources said they'd refuse to attend press screenings until Disney lifted the ban, and several critics groups said that Disney movies would be ineligible for awards if it stayed in place.

https://www.apnews.com/a51521268758...test:-Disney-ends-LA-Times-ban-after-backlash

 

[diznygirl]

Anaheim should give Disney anything it wants. Imagine if they said we're outta here and built a WDW sized resort elsewhere. Screw Anaheim and the LA Times fake news.

If you lived in Anaheim you'd probably feel differently. The residents there are getting screwed over. Sure Disney is fun, but they can also stop giving the cities they are involved with the shaft. That goes for Orlando as well.

And it wasn't fake news - it was a factual assessment of Disney's business practices. It wasn't favorable, so Disney's nose is bent out of joint and so they are acting out.

 

[bcla]

If you lived in Anaheim you'd probably feel differently. The residents there are getting screwed over. Sure Disney is fun, but they can also stop giving the cities they are involved with the shaft. That goes for Orlando as well.

And it wasn't fake news - it was a factual assessment of Disney's business practices. It wasn't favorable, so Disney's nose is bent out of joint and so they are acting out.

Certainly Disneyland is extremely important to the economy of Anaheim and Orange County. It's also very important to the tourist business in all of Southern California as it attracts visitors who will do more than just visit Disneyland.

However, Anaheim is a city of over 300,000 and theoretically their primary mission is to serve their residents.

I heard that Disney executives refused to be interviewed for the piece but that they sent a few messages to the LA Times trying to sway the coverage. I love many things Disney, but I realize that local governments should assess whether or not concessions made to important businesses affect their ability to serve their people.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

However, Anaheim is a city of over 300,000 and theoretically their primary mission is to serve their residents.

Would Anaheim have 300,000 residents if there were no Disneyland?

 

[BrianL]

The thing is that the underlying facts aren't that clear cut. The city agreed to certain things that do benefit Disney. Disney is certainly a benefit to the city as well. The LA Times piece definitely had a certain point of view about that and Disney claims it is inaccurate. However, banning the paper from press screenings wasn't a good move to combat that and was a mistake and overreaction on Disney's part. They should have refuted the article in a more productive manner.

That said, while Anaheim certainly should provide Disney with cooperation and incentives and such, that doesn't mean they should do anything and everything the company says. There's always going to be give and take in these types of arrangements. The idea that the people of Anaheim are suffering under Disney's boot doesn't track, nor does the idea that the city of Anaheim owes total deference to the Mouse. It's a mutually beneficial relationship and a mutually parasitic one.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Disney just lifted the ban. Apparently what did it was several news sources said they'd refuse to attend press screenings until Disney lifted the ban, and several critics groups said that Disney movies would be ineligible for awards if it stayed in place.

https://www.apnews.com/a51521268758...test:-Disney-ends-LA-Times-ban-after-backlash

Well any group that would withold movie awards simply because Disney refused to let the LA times into FREE SCREENINGS has absolutely no credibility.

 

[soccerdad72]

Well any group that would withold movie awards simply because Disney refused to let the LA times into FREE SCREENINGS has absolutely no credibility.

'Movie awards' and 'credibility' rarely are seen in the same sentence.

 

[bookgirl]

I am a big 1st Amendment supporter so I think it was the wrong move by Disney and I would have thought less of them as a Brand, however if they had continued the ban it would have been their choice and as long as they were willing to take the consequences they have a right to grant or limit access to their press releases or screenings.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

I am a big 1st Amendment supporter so I think it was the wrong move by Disney and I would have thought less of them as a Brand, however if they had continued the ban it would have been their choice and as long as they were willing to take the consequences they have a right to grant or limit access to their press releases or screenings.

What Disney did wasn't a first amendment violation.

 

[diznygirl]

Would Anaheim have 300,000 residents if there were no Disneyland?

Well, yes. Duh. It's Southern California. Over 20 million people need some place to live.

Disneyland is a wonderful place. But there is no reason Disney needs to use it's strong-arm tactics on the media over an unflattering story.

 

[bcla]

Would Anaheim have 300,000 residents if there were no Disneyland?

Probably. Possibly even more. More likely a bedroom community (which it is to some extent) like the rest of Orange County if there were fewer businesses supporting the tourist industry and more land supporting housing.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

Well, yes. Duh. It's Southern California. Over 20 million people need some place to live.

Disneyland is a wonderful place. But there is no reason Disney needs to use it's strong-arm tactics on the media over an unflattering story.

People live in California because it's a desirable state to live in; weather, entertainment, and nature. Take away Disneyland and Anaheim is basically the armpit of Southern California. Can't imagine why anyone would want to live there, there are certainly more desirable areas to live in.

 

[diznygirl]

People live in California because it's a desirable state to live in; weather, entertainment, and nature. Take away Disneyland and Anaheim is basically the armpit of Southern California. Can't imagine why anyone would want to live there, there are certainly more desirable areas to live in.

SoCal has several armpits to choose from. And those other armpits don't have anything except proximity to Los Angeles. Sort of. It's all crowded.

 

[bcla]

Well any group that would withold movie awards simply because Disney refused to let the LA times into FREE SCREENINGS has absolutely no credibility.

They were from critics organizations. They felt that they were basically attacking a free press by attempting to influence business coverage by punishing a different part of the news organization. Imagine something like ESPN reporters being blocked because of some investigative report by 20/20. Here's how the Boston Critics association stated their case:

http://www.bostonfilmcritics.org/content/disney-year-end-consideration-ban
Nov. 7, 2017 — The members of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the New York Film Critics Circle, the Boston Society of Film Critics and the National Society of Film Critics jointly denounce the Walt Disney Company’s media blackout of the Los Angeles Times. Furthermore, all four critics’ organizations have voted to disqualify Disney’s films from year-end awards consideration until said blackout is publicly rescinded.

On Nov. 3, The Times published a statement that its writers and editors had been blocked from attending advance screenings of Disney films, in response to The Times’ news coverage of Disney’s business arrangements with the City of Anaheim. Disney’s actions, which include an indefinite ban on any interaction with The Times, are antithetical to the principles of a free press and set a dangerous precedent in a time of already heightened hostility toward journalists.

It is admittedly extraordinary for a critics’ group, let alone four critics’ groups, to take any action that might penalize film artists for decisions beyond their control. But Disney brought forth this action when it chose to punish The Times’ journalists rather than express its disagreement with a business story via ongoing public discussion. Disney’s response should gravely concern all who believe in the importance of a free press, artists included.​

 

[Pacolovestacos]

SoCal has several armpits to choose from. And those other armpits don't have anything except proximity to Los Angeles. Sort of. It's all crowded.

Proximity to LA is better than not having it. Outside of going to DL, what does one even do in Anaheim? Visit the Nixon library?