Disney Ends L.A. Times Ban After Press Backlash

After press and news outlets around the country called out the Walt Disney Company for its [...]

After press and news outlets around the country called out the Walt Disney Company for its decision to bar The Los Angeles Times from its press screenings, the media giant has changed its mind. Effective immediately, reporters and critics from the paper will again have access to Disney screenings.

"We've had productive discussions with the newly installed leadership at The Los Angeles Times regarding our specific concerns, and as a result we've agreed to restore access to advance screenings for their film critics," Disney said in today's statement.

This announcement came after outlets across the country, including The New York Times, The Washington Post and the A.V. Club called for a boycott of reviewing Disney films, citing solidarity with The L.A. Times. These outlets believed that Disney was taking away the paper's right to free press, following the Times' story about the company's business dealings with the city of Anaheim.

In addition to those who called for a boycott, several groups of critics, including the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, decided to disqualify Disney films from year-end award ceremonies until the ban on the L.A. Times was lifted.

With Thor: Ragnarok having just hit theaters this past weekend, Disney still has two major titles left to premiere this year. Pixar's Coco will debut in the U.S. on November 22, while Star Wars: The Last Jedi is set to hit the big screen on December 15.

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