In a marked shift from his earlier remarks at a billionaires’ retreat in July, where he downplayed the demands of striking writers and actors as “unrealistic,” Disney’s CEO Bob Iger adopted a more diplomatic tone during the company’s quarterly earnings call this week.
Iger emphasized, “Our company’s relationships with the creative community, encompassing actors, writers, animators, directors, and producers, hold paramount importance. I hold deep respect and gratitude for those who form the vital cogs of our exceptional creative engine, propelling both our company and the industry forward. I fervently hope we can promptly resolve the issues that have caused a rift in recent months. I am personally dedicated to facilitating this resolution.”
In the Q2 report, Disney disclosed a streaming loss of $512 million for its direct-to-consumer unit, which includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. Additionally, the report noted a $2.4 billion impairment charge linked to removing numerous films and TV shows from their streaming services. This streamlining effort followed Disney’s decision to reduce its streaming content offerings. As a result, Disney+ now boasts 105 million subscribers.
With production disruptions arising from the ongoing strikes, Disney has revised its projected spending on programming for this year. Iger elaborated, “We anticipate a fiscal 2023 content expenditure of approximately $27 billion, a decrease from our previous guidance due to reduced investments in produced content, partly attributable to the ongoing strikes by writers and actors.”
Iger’s reputation as a talent-friendly and media-savvy executive took a hit due to his untimely comments during the Sun Valley’s Allen & Company mogul conference on July 13, the same day SAG-AFTRA initiated its strike order. His words, characterizing the strikers’ expectations as “unrealistic” and contributing to existing challenges, echoed across picket lines in both Los Angeles and New York.
As a contentious summer of strikes coincides with earnings announcements, industry leaders have taken a cautious approach during investor calls, acknowledging the gravity of the situation and expressing hope for amicable resolution talks. Responsibility for responding to the guild’s explanations for the failed negotiations largely falls to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the representative body for significant studios.
On August 7, Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish expressed his disappointment, saying, “It saddens me that our industry couldn’t reach an accord.” Meanwhile, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav acknowledged being uncharted but committed to a “good faith” effort to strike a deal with SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, whose Los Angeles offices have become a significant picketing site, began his July 19 earnings call by sharing a personal story: his father, too, was a union electrician who went on strike.
Ari Emanuel, the prominent agent leading Endeavor, which is not a part of AMPTP like Disney, Paramount, and Netflix, deviated from his fellow moguls. Although Endeavor projected a $25 million loss due to halted dealmaking and production amid the strikes, Emanuel pledged to stand by his clients and advocate on their behalf for a resolution. He also termed the current stalemate unprecedented, especially the 100-day-long writers’ strike.
Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, who oversees NBCUniversal, is included in the discussion about the strikes. Roberts has yet to make any public statements on the standoff since May. On a July 27 earnings call, NBCU President Michael Cavanagh reaffirmed their commitment to achieving a fair agreement with the guilds at the earliest opportunity.
