Amazon Studios Discontinues Inclusion Playbook As DEI Programs Topple Under Donald Trump

deadline.com:

As DEI buckles under President Donald Trump, Amazon Studios — along with its parent company, the broader tech industry, and much of corporate America — has discontinued its Inclusion Policy and Playbook unveiled in the summer of 2021 to codify its existing diversity, equity and inclusion practices with the aim, it said then, of creating content that is more representative of U.S.

audiences. “We’ve said from the beginning that our efforts to ensure diverse and inclusive storytelling would be fluid and change over time.

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,” an Amazon spokesperson said. “Above all, we strive to tell the very best stories, while empowering diverse voices in our storytelling wherever possible.” A person familiar with the situation said Amazon had removed the public-facing inclusion playbook from its website in September, a move they said was reflective of Amazon’s “overall approach to inclusivity always being focused on education and ensuring opportunity – while never being grounded in any restrictions or rules.” The studio’s policy had covered four primary areas that offer actionable recommendations to continue to seek out storytelling that amplifies diverse voices throughout all aspects of the production process: Developing Stories and Characters, Hiring and Production, Reporting and Documentation, and Meeting Goals with a list of objectives. “With the establishment of our Inclusion Policy and Inclusion Playbook, Amazon Studios has committed itself to being a thought and action leader in the transformation of our industry,” said studio head Jennifer Salke then. “We know how much work there is to be