Disney Upfront Leans Into Inclusive Entertainment and Live Events

When Black-ish first debuted on ABC in 2014, it found success among critics and audiences alike and was called groundbreaking precisely because its cast and plotlines represented many U.S. viewers in a way that many other primetime broadcast comedies didn’t. The show is heading into its eighth and final season, and Disney executives say they are committed to bringing more shows like Black-ish that feature diverse casts and showcase a variety of voices and stories to all of the company’s networks and platforms. “For us, this is not about checking a box. It’s part of our mission and purpose and foundational to who we are,” Rita Ferro, Disney’s president of advertising sales and partnerships, said on Tuesday afternoon during the company's annual upfronts presentation touting its upcoming programming to advertisers. “My hope is that this is no longer a conversation, but this becomes ingrained in every facet of our businesses. This is not about a month or a day. It’s an always-on, 52-week strategy.” The remarks, which Ferro made during Disney’s nearly two-hour upfront pitch to advertisers, underlined executives’ message earlier in the day of a permanent commitment to diversity and inclusion, both on- and off-screen. Ferro reiterated Tuesday afternoon that the ad sales team’s goal is to incorporate multicultural commitments and inclusive creative campaigns into every single deal struck with brands and advertisers after hearing Madison Avenue ask for more opportunities to make changes in their own planning and buying. “As we’ve learned this past year, change does not happen without will,” Ferro said. The focus of Disney’s presentation—held in the middle of an upfronts week upended by Monday morning's announcement that Discovery and WarnerMedia would merge—was centered primarily on the network’s lineup of programming that speaks to all U.S. audiences, 40% of whom are multicultural, Ferro said. Disney’s various brands—from networks and platforms like ABC, ESPN, Freeform, FX and Hulu to digital platforms like The Undefeated—touted their programming line-ups, many of which feature diverse casts, creators and writers. ABC Sets Its Wonder Years Reboot for Fall, Delays Black-ish Sendoff Until Midseason Voices of change In addition to new shows, many of which were previewed and detailed during a press briefing Tuesday morning, Disney is also creating an entertainment, sports and news hub to be distributed across Disney's portfolio. Called Voices of Change, the hub will focus on telling stories about communities of color and LGBTQ+ communities in the U.S. The aim, of course, is to get advertisers to sign on to sponsor or advertise against the line-up, which Ferro mentioned in an effort to answer the increasingly common question from marketers about how they can put more of their advertising budgets against multicultural content and multicultural audiences. Critics heralded Black-ish both for its cultural breakthrough moments, such as its seminal Juneteenth episode, and the advertising opportunities (including several brand integrations) on which brands have capitalized over the years. “Together, we can open new lanes of opportunity, welcome more diverse voices into the conversation and make our industry and world more inclusive,” Ferro said. Though the company's presentation focused on widening its storytelling lens, the elephant in the (virtual) room remained: the consumer shift from linear television to streaming. Some executives made fleeting references—“Viewers are in the drivers’ seat when it comes to how and when they enjoy their favorite shows, as it should be,” Ferro said—but the most explicit nod toward falling linear ratings came from late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, who finished out the presentation with his annual roast of the event, an upfronts week highlight. Streamlined strategy Instead, executives focused on how their new streamlined structure has positioned the company to make the best programming for all of its various distribution methods. “Our job is to make sure we have the right show on the right platform for the right audience,” said Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment president Craig Erwich, who unveiled ABC’s fall television line-up earlier today. “Regardless of where a show lives, there’s no better strategy than quality.” On linear, Disney is doubling down on programming live events, which remain a crucial cornerstone to driving viewership. At both ESPN and ABC, that has translated to a focus on live sports rights, which the company has more of now than ever before. “We have at least one major event every month,” Burke Magnus, ESPN’s evp of programming and original content, said during the presentation, during which he highlighted that June 2022 will feature both the NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup Finals. “Rita [Ferro] told me to tell you that there’s no place to get GRPs in June [2022] without coming to ABC and ESPN.” But leaning in on sports won’t cut streaming out. Last week, Disney struck a deal to telecast certain Major League Baseball games to both ESPN and ESPN+, bringing most major sporting leagues to Disney-owned networks in the coming year. In recent weeks, the company struck new long-term deals with the NFL and the NHL that will bring games to both its linear and streaming platforms. Disney Extends Major League Baseball TV Rights to ESPN+ as Streaming Momentum Slows