Disney said it would allow ads related to political issues on its Hulu streaming service after an outcry from Democrats and subscribers.
In an emailed statement to USA TODAY, Disney said it was aligning Hulu’s political advertising policies to track the company’s cable sports networks and ESPN+.
“Hulu will now accept applicants and post ads covering a wide range of political positions, but reserves the right to request edits or alternate creatives, consistent with industry standards,” Disney said in its statement.
The change follows a Washington Post report that the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, the Democratic Congressional Committee and the Democratic Governors Association attempted to buy abortion and gun control ads that didn’t work on Hulu.
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Meanwhile, Democratic candidate Suraj Patel, who is running for Congress in New York, has claimed Hulu wants him to remove footage of the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol and the term “climate change” from an ad deemed “sensitive”. “
“For Democrats nationwide, not being able to deliver mobilizing messages about issues that matter to young people on the networks they watch has broad implications – issues like guns, climate , democracy and abortion,” Patel said in a series of tweets July 13.
The reports spawned several hashtags, including #BoycottHulu, urging the streaming service to allow such advertisements related to political issues.
Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @BrettMolina.