Democratic Groups Blast Hulu For Rejecting Campaign Ads As Disney Comes Under Fire For Avoiding Politics — Again

Topline

Streaming service Hulu is increasingly coming under fire from Democratic campaigns and fundraising groups for refusing to air political ads that deal with controversial issues like abortion and the January 6 attack—marking the second controversy in recent months that parent company Disney has faced for sidestepping hot-button political topics.

Key Facts

Democratic fundraising groups slammed Hulu for declining to air ads that center on gun control and abortion, saying in a statement the company’s censorship of the ads “is outrageous, offensive, and another step down a dangerous path for our country.”

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and Democratic Governors Association submitted two ads to Hulu on July 15, but the streaming service has so far not aired the ads and declined to offer further information, according to a national Democratic party official, saying only the issue was “content related.”

The ads were also submitted to Disney-owned ESPN and a Philadelphia ABC affiliate, as well as Facebook, YouTube, Roku and NBC/Universal, and aired on all platforms and networks except for Hulu, according to the Democratic official.

New York congressional candidate Suraj Patel previously wrote to Disney and Hulu complaining about its ad policy after the platform rejected his campaign ad that used the phrase “from abortion rights and gun laws to climate change” and showed footage of the January 6 insurrection, Jezebel first reported.

Patel was required to change “climate change” to “democracy”—he insisted on keeping abortion and gun laws—and swap out the January 6 footage before the ad was approved and eventually aired, Bloomberg reports, after the streamer asked him not to discuss “sensitive” topics.

Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux (D-Ga.) also had an abortion-related ad censored by Hulu in May, which she criticized as “dangerous and outrageous.”

Chief Critic

Hulu and Disney have not yet responded to requests for comment. Hulu’s advertising guidelines state the platform “reserves the right to review, approve, reject, and refuse to display, or remove any and all advertising on a case-by-case basis.” Political ads are among the advertisements on Hulu that get individually reviewed, and the company takes into consideration “various factors, including, without limitation, advertising content and targeting restrictions,” the guidelines state.

Crucial Quote

“Voters have the right to know the facts about MAGA Republicans’ agenda on issues like abortion – and Hulu is doing a huge disservice to the American people by blocking voters from learning the truth about the GOP record or denying these issues from even being discussed,” Christie Roberts, Tim Persico and Noam Lee, the executive directors of the DSCC, DCCC and DGA, respectively, said in a statement.

Surprising Fact

Broadcast television networks are required to air political ads from both parties under the Communications Act of 1934 and legally cannot censor them. Television stations “shall have no power of censorship over the material broadcast” by any legally qualified candidate, the law states. Digital platforms like Hulu aren’t bound by those restrictions, however, which explains why Disney could block the ads from airing on Hulu but still air them on ESPN.

Tangent

Disney is rolling out an ad-supported version of its streaming service Disney+ later this year that will prohibit political ads entirely, according to multiple outlets.

Key Background

Disney’s handling of controversial political issues has already landed the company in hot water this year, as the media giant faced criticism from both sides over the Florida law known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law that restricts the discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools. Disney was initially widely criticized from the left—including by its own employees—for refusing to take a political position on the bill as it winded through the legislature, as Disney CEO Bob Chapek reportedly preferred to keep the company out of hot-button political issues. The company eventually caved under the pressure and publicly came out against the policy in March, saying in a statement after the law was enacted that its “goal as a company” was to help strike down the law. That drew ire from the right, resulting in Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and the state legislature punishing Disney by dissolving the special district that governs Walt Disney World. On abortion, Disney has said it will help to cover abortion-related costs for employees should they have to travel out of state for the procedure, but—like most major companies—the company did not take a public stance on the issue or the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.

Further Reading

Dems fume at Disney’s Hulu for blocking ads on abortion, guns, Jan. 6 (Washington Post)

Hulu Demanded Democratic Candidate Cut ‘Sensitive’ Issues Like Abortion and Guns from Campaign Ad (Jezebel)

Hulu Rejects Campaign Ads as Politics Collide With Streaming TV (Bloomberg)