Disney Ends Ban on Los Angeles Times Amid Fierce Backlash<br />On Tuesday, members of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the New York Film Critics Circle, the Boston Society of Film Critics<br />and the National Society of Film Critics denounced Disney’s blackout of The Los Angeles Times.<br />Each group voted to disqualify Disney’s movies from year-end award consideration unless the blackout was “publicly rescinded.”<br />The Los Angeles Times had made Disney’s blackout public in a note to readers last week<br />that explained why no feature articles about Disney movies appeared in its 2017 holiday movie preview section.<br />“We’ve had productive discussions with the newly installed leadership at The Los Angeles Times regarding our specific concerns,<br />and as a result, we’ve agreed to restore access to advance screenings for their film critics,” Disney said in a statement.<br />Disney’s decision to block Los Angeles Times journalists from advance screenings inadvertently<br />drew national attention to the articles on the company’s dealings with Anaheim.<br />Company representatives consistently tell journalists that the media’s access to its films and executives is “a privilege and not a right.”<br />In explaining this particular blackout, Disney cited a Los Angeles Times investigation<br />that was published in September about the company’s business ties to Anaheim, Calif., where its popular Disneyland and California Adventure theme parks are.
