More Than 100 Former ABC News Employees Call On Disney CEO Bob Iger To Make Clear Network "Will Not Be Silenced Or Intim

Source: Deadline

More Than 100 Former ABC News Employees Call On Disney CEO Bob Iger To Make Clear Network “Will Not Be Silenced Or Intimidated By Political Pressure”

Ted Johnson
Wed, September 24, 2025 at 5:25 PM EDT

More than 100 former ABC News employees including Sam Donaldson, Tom Bettag and Judy Muller have signed on to a letter urging Disney CEO Bob Iger to step it up when it comes to publicly defending journalists under political attacks and the company itself against government pressure.

“We want to acknowledge and commend your decision to reinstate Jimmy Kimmel’s show,” the ABC News employees wrote in the letter, first reported by CNN. “It was the right call and an important statement that political intimidation should not dictate ABC’s programming. This action reflects the values that have long defined The Walt Disney Company.

“Yet, it must be just the first step in a concerted effort to defend free speech and press freedom against political intimidation. The $16 million settlement with Donald Trump, combined with the absence of a strong public defense of ABC News journalists under attack, has emboldened Administration efforts to intimidate the press.”

Also signing on to the letter was Kayce Freed Jennings, the widow of World News Tonight anchor Peter Jennings. The letter was organized by Lisa Stark, a former correspondent, and Ian Cameron, a former executive producer, per CNN.

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Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/more-100-former-abc-news-212501923.html