Disney decides not to fine a school for showing one of its movies at a fundraiser after all.
Well, crikey. Straight from the department of ‘well, that’s not a good look’, Disney has reversed a fine that was sent to an American primary school. Its crime? It’d screened The Lion King as part of a fundraising drive, and found itself the wrong side of a $250 fine from Disney’s licensing company. The fundraiser itself had raised $800.
The school – Emerson Elementary School – took to social media to appeal for help in paying the fine.
By the letter of the law, Disney is right. When you buy a DVD or equivalent, you get a licence rather than own the film. And that license prohibits any kind of public showing. But still, Disney raking in billions of dollars a quarter fining a school trying to raise funds?
Common sense prevailed here, and Disney CEO Bob Iger intervened, and apologised. Here’s his Tweet…
Our company @WaltDisneyCo apologizes to the Emerson Elementary School PTA and I will personally donate to their fund raising initiative.
— Robert Iger (@RobertIger) February 6, 2020
Quite how Disney discovered the school was playing the film in the first place, and quite why it decided to go straight for a fine, is unclear. The school for its part was unaware it breaking any rules. The Lion King is, er, available on disc now.
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