Disney Co-Chair Close Friend of Harris, ABC Says Bias Won’t Affect Debate With Trump
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Dana Walden, co-chair of ABC News’ (Lean Left bias) parent company Disney, has donated to Vice President Kamala Harris’s political campaigns since 2003, raising concerns that it could affect the integrity of the Trump-Harris ABC debate scheduled for September 10.
For Context: Walden is a longtime friend of Harris’s and, in 2023, donated $20,000 to President Biden and the Democratic Party. Earlier this year, former President Trump sued ABC for defamation.
NYT Profile: On August 11, The New York Times (Lean Left bias) published a feature highlighting the close relationship between Harris and Walden. The Times described the “enduring friendship” between Harris and Walden as “genuine” and “rare” and noted that Walden has not held a fundraiser for Harris “since June 2022, when ABC News came under her purview.”
ABC Statement: The Times published an ABC quote claiming Walden is not involved in editorial decisions. “All editorial decisions are in the hands of ABC News management and the seasoned journalists and producers of ABC, who hold themselves to the highest journalistic standards,” ABC wrote.
Coverage From The Right: Several outlets on the right, like Newsmax (Right bias), Washington Times (Lean Right bias), and Fox News (Right bias) covered the story from the angle that Harris’s relationship with Walden was being scrutinized after the Times published its piece. Straight Arrow News (Center bias) noted that the story was mostly covered by the right. AllSides did not find additional coverage from the left or center.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
Atop ABC, a Personal Connection to Kamala Harris![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-leaning-left.png)
![](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/styles/feature_image_300x200/public/09walden-ABC-ptlj-superJumbo_0.jpg?itok=-ZEXkwj5)
On paper, the potential for a conflict of interest seems obvious: ABC News, the host of next month’s high-stakes presidential debate, falls under the purview of a top corporate executive at Disney who happens to be longtime friends with the Democratic nominee.
The executive, Dana Walden, first met Kamala Harris in 1994. Their husbands, Matt Walden and Doug Emhoff, have known each other since the 1980s. The Waldens — “extraordinary friends,” per the vice president — have donated money to Ms. Harris’s political campaigns since at least 2003, when she...
From the Center
Disney Exec Is Major Harris Donor, Raising Debate Conflict Questions![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-center.png)
![](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/styles/feature_image_300x200/public/CLEAN-MM-Harris-ABC-disney_Getty.jpg?itok=IURdcQof)
Vice President and presumptive Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are debating on ABC News on Sept. 4.
However, Kamala Harris has a personal connection with ABC News’ parent company, Disney, which has raised concerns ahead of the political debate. Some are saying the relationship between Harris and the parent company official is conflict of interest.
Disney executive Dana Walden has donated to several Democrats and has supported Harris’s multiple political campaigns since 2003. That includes Harris’s run for district attorney in San Francisco.
Trump has previously...
From the Right
ABC News Debate Exec Is Major Harris Donor![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Right AllSides Media Bias Rating: Right](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-right.png)
The co-chairwoman of ABC News' parent company is a longtime, personal friend and campaign donor of Vice President Kamala Harris, whose upcoming debate with former President Donald Trump will be hosted by the network.
Dana Walden, co-chairman of Disney Entertainment, has known Harris since 1994. Their husbands, Matt Walden and Doug Emhoff, have known each other since the 1980s, according to The New York Times.
Trump, on the other hand, recently sued ABC News for defamation.
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