New York Times joins critics’ Disney movie boycott over L.A. Times blackout

The Wrap
New York Times Joins Critics’ Disney Movie Boycott Over LA Times Blackout

The New York Times is the next newspaper to stand in solidarity with the Los Angeles Times in a boycott of Disney movies after the company blocked writers and editors from attending advance screenings of Disney films in response to The Times’ news coverage of Disney’s business dealings with the city of Anaheim.

“The New York Times will not attend preview screenings of Disney films until access is restored to the Los Angeles Times,” a Times spokesperson said. “A powerful company punishing a news organization for a story they do not like is meant to have a chilling effect. This is a dangerous precedent and not at all in the public interest.”

The National Society of Film Critics, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the New York Film Critics Circle and the Boston Society of Film Critics have denounced the Walt Disney Company’s media blackout of the L.A. Times.

Also Read: TV Critics Association Condemns Disney for L.A. Times Blackout

In addition, all four groups voted to disqualify Disney’s films from year-end awards consideration until the blackout is publicly lifted.

According to a joint statement by the four critics groups, “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.”

The statement concluded, “Disney’s response should gravely concern all who believe in the importance of a free press, artists included.”

Also Read: Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool Fans Worry R-Rated Hero Will Get Disneyfied After Proposed Fox Merger

On Monday, the A.V. Club website and Washington Post critic at large Alyssa Rosenberg announced they would boycott Disney screenings until the L.A. Times was allowed to attend them as well.

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