DEI Rollbacks - How Companies are Responding (last update: 4/15/2025)

*published March 2025. Updated April 2025

By Natalie Lifson, Executive Assistant and Agent Trainee at Buchwald and THA's co-EIC

Over the past two months, we've reported on DEI rollbacks and what they mean for the future of Hollywood - particularly, for entry-level entertainment professionals who will now face new barriers in breaking into the entertainment industry.

These DEI rollbacks began in January after President Trump signed 2 Executive Orders targeting DEI programs across various sectors, including the entertainment industry, claiming that they are discriminatory. 

Under threat of massive fines, restrictions on operations, loss of licenses, and more, many entertainment companies have begun to roll back DEI initiatives, some have reiterated their commitment to inclusive values while doing so, and some are fighting back. 

Here is how individual entertainment companies have responded so far: 

Disney: Despite scrapping their “Reimagine Tomorrow” initiative to “amplify underrepresented voices” and renaming “Diversity & Inclusion” to “Talent Strategy,” Disney and ABC are currently under investigation by the FCC for "discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, national original, age, or gender."

On March 27th, Carr published a letter to Disney CEO Bob Iger stating that although "Disney recently walked back some of its DEI programs, significant concerns remain."

Most notably to young people just entering the entertainment industry, Carr specifically called out "restricted fellowships to select demographic groups" and "Inclusion Standards" in every level of production - actors, writers, directors, crew, and more. (See our February article "What DEI Rollbacks Mean for the Future of Hollywood" HERE).

Disney responded that they're reviewing the letter and "look forward to engaging with the commission to answer its questions."

They initially made the following statement when they rolled back some DEI initiatives in February:

“What won’t change is our commitment to fostering a company culture where everyone belongs and everyone can excel.” -Disney HR Chief Sonia Coleman

Comcast: On Tuesday, February 11th, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr notified Comcast that the FCC will be investigating them and their subsidiary NBCUniversal for failing to terminate their DEI initiatives and employee trainings and for continuing to promote DEI as “a core value of [their] business,” accusing them of violating “FCC regulations and civil rights laws.”

Carr explained that he is targeting Comcast in particular because in addition to their open disregard of the new anti-DEI guidelines, they cover most sectors the FCC has jurisdiction over and will therefore set various precedents.

In response, Comcast made the following public statement while continuing to promote their DEI initiatives: 

“We have received an inquiry from the Federal Communications Commission and will be cooperating with the FCC to answer their questions. For decades, our company has been built on a foundation of integrity and respect for all of our employees and customers.” 

-Comcast spokesperson Sena Fitzmaurice

Google: eliminated DEI training programs, erased all references to Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and more

“Our values are enduring, but we have to comply with legal directions depending on how they evolve.” 

-Google CEO Sundar Pichai

Paramount: eradicated DEI hiring efforts and removed DEI language from official messaging

“To be the best storytellers and to continue to drive success, we must have a highly talented, dedicated and creative workforce that reflects the perspectives and experiences of our many different audiences. Values like inclusivity and collaboration are a part of the Paramount culture and will continue to be.” They also stated that they will continue to “ensure that we are widening our aperture to attract talent from all geographies, backgrounds and perspectives.” 

-Paramount Co-CEOs Brian Robbins, George Cheeks, and Chris McCarthy

Warner Bros. Discovery: Eradicated diversity initiatives and renamed their DEI programs to “Inclusion Programs,” removing the “Diversity” and “Equity” elements. 

“Values like inclusivity and collaboration are a part of the Paramount culture and will continue to be. ”

“Our success absolutely depends on having a team that’s truly diverse, reflects all perspectives, and has a culture where our employees feel valued and respected. These have always been our values and that won’t ever change.”

Meta: eliminated DEI training programs and hiring practices. They also released an internal memo detailing the practices that will and will not change, outlining how they will comply with new laws, but affirming that their values have not changed. 

“At Meta, we have a principle of serving everyone. This can be achieved through cognitively diverse teams, with differences in knowledge, skills, political views, backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. Such teams are better at innovating, solving complex problems and identifying new opportunities which ultimately helps us deliver on our ambition to build products that serve everyone. On top of that, we’ve always believed that no one should be given — or deprived — of opportunities because of protective characteristics, and that has not changed.” 

-Janelle Gale, VP of People

Amazon: eliminated DEI policies and removing all references to diversity and inclusion from their public and internal messaging

“Rather than have individual groups build programs, we are focusing on programs with proven outcomes — and we also aim to foster a more truly inclusive culture.”

-Candi Castleberry, VP of Inclusive Experiences and Technology

Amazon Studios: removed their “Inclusion Playbook” and DEI goals from their website

“We continue to evolve this vital work in concert with our commitment to keep our global audience of viewers at the center of everything we do. Above all, we strive to tell the very best stories, while empowering diverse voices in our storytelling wherever possible.” 

PBS: shut down their DEI office and laid off 2 DEI executives

“We were committed to telling the stories of all Americans before we had an office, and will continue to do it afterwards." 

-PBS CEO Paula Kerger

Apple: Like Comcast, Apple (the world’s most valuable company at $3.7 trillion, who can afford to reject these demands) reaffirmed their commitment to DEI:

“At Apple, we believe that how we conduct ourselves is as critical to Apple’s success as making the best products in the world. We seek to conduct business ethically, honestly, and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and our Business Conduct and Compliance policies are foundational to how we do business. And we strive to create a culture of belonging where everyone can do their best work.”