Blaze Media Reports: An executive from the Walt Disney Company alleged that the historic brand thoroughly engages in race-based hiring practices but uses coded language to avoid liability.

During a series of undercover videos made by investigative journalist James O'Keefe's O'Keefe Media Group, a Disney senior vice president named Michael Giordano appeared to detail a series of questionable hiring practices and beliefs ingrained at the company.

Speaking to an undercover reporter, Giordano claimed that diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives go right to the top, including through CEO Bob Iger.

"Do you think Bob has a say in the diversity stuff when they’re casting people?" the journalist asked.

"100%. He gives the directive ... 'Hey, I want every show to have substantial diversity,'" the executive said.

Iger had said in April 2024 that the company does not infuse any messaging into its content. He noted that the company is trying to reach a "diverse audience" and said certain viewers can sometimes be "turned off by certain things." He added that Disney has to be more sensitive to the interests of a broad audience.

It is perhaps the latter that was coded terminology signaling the DEI beliefs at the company.

Giordano said in the undercover videos that diversity is sometimes "so front and center. ... We have so many shows where we're casting and we're like 'yeah, we're not even gonna see certain people for it.'"