Executive Summary
The Story So Far
Why This Matters
Who Thinks What?
More than 100 former ABC News journalists have urged Disney CEO Bob Iger to champion free speech and press freedom against political intimidation, in a letter obtained by CNN on Wednesday. The communication was initially drafted last week following the brief suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, which has since returned to air.
The letter commends Iger’s decision to reinstate Kimmel’s show, calling it “an important statement that political intimidation should not dictate ABC’s programming.” However, the signees emphasize that this step must be merely the beginning.
According to the letter, Disney holds both the responsibility and the opportunity to lead by firmly resisting capitulation and actively defending democratic values. It argues that ABC’s $16 million settlement with Donald Trump last December emboldened the president to escalate his attacks on the network.
The former journalists assert that the First Amendment is not negotiable and that ABC’s credibility, along with Disney’s reputation, hinges on unwavering leadership in its defense. They believe this moment offers Iger a chance to set a powerful example by upholding principles central to both democracy and The Walt Disney Company.
Notable signees include former correspondents such as Sam Donaldson and Judy Muller, former executive producers like Tom Bettag, and Kayce Freed Jennings, widow of the acclaimed ABC anchor Peter Jennings.
President Trump’s Response and Network Pressure
Upon his return, Jimmy Kimmel predicted in his monologue that his show’s reinstatement would place Disney directly in President Trump’s crosshairs, a prediction quickly affirmed by the president. Former ABC correspondent Lisa Stark and former executive producer Ian Cameron, who spearheaded the letter, conveyed to CNN their understanding of the “enormous political and economic pressure” on Disney and other networks.
They stressed that Iger and other leaders “must not waver in protecting the free press and their journalists.” Kimmel, in his widely viewed monologue, called for speaking out against what he termed “this bully,” asserting that Trump is “gunning for our journalists, too” through lawsuits and bullying tactics.
Approximately an hour before Kimmel’s episode aired, Trump posted a fresh threat against ABC on Truth Social, baselessly accusing the network of an illegal campaign contribution. This sustained political pressure has created a difficult environment for journalists within ABC News.
Despite these challenges, the news division has robustly reported on the Kimmel controversy and has broken significant stories concerning the Trump administration. For instance, ABC’s Jon Karl led a recent edition of “This Week” with an extensive examination of Trump’s pursuit of “retribution.”
Pentagon Policy Concerns
Karl also highlighted a newly announced Pentagon policy that would require reporters to pledge against gathering or using unauthorized information, even if unclassified, and would revoke press passes for non-compliance. Karl characterized this as a policy one might expect to see in nations like China, Russia, or North Korea, rather than the United States.
He added this policy to a list of governmental actions perceived as attempts to silence voices critical of President Trump. The collective appeal from former ABC News veterans underscores a growing concern within journalistic circles about the safeguarding of press freedom amid political pressures.
