Behind Closed Doors: DeSantis’ Disney Oversight District Imposes Media Blackout, Hiding Key Discussions From the Public

Behind Closed Doors: DeSantis’ Disney Oversight District Imposes Media Blackout, Hiding Key Discussions From the Public

When Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stripped Walt Disney World of its self-governing status in 2023, dissolving the legacy Reedy Creek Improvement District, the political justification was loud, clear, and repeated: accountability and transparency. The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD), governed by a state-appointed board of supervisors, was championed as a refreshing return to open governance that would pull the curtain back on …

The Sound of Silence: DeSantis' Disney Board Imposes Media Blackout, Masking Critical Theme Park Decisions

When Florida Governor Ron DeSantis dissolved the historic Reedy Creek Improvement District in 2023, the absolute cornerstone of his political messaging was public accountability. The hand-picked board of supervisors overseeing the newly minted Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) was repeatedly positioned as a refreshing upgrade to state transparency—an antidote to decades of “corporate secrecy” that would ensure the government sur…

DeSantis' Disney Oversight District Ends Board Meeting Livestreams

The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District has stopped livestreaming its Board of Supervisors meetings, and the reason it gives is simple: almost nobody was watching. The district says the streams drew single-digit viewership before being canceled. The last livestream was back in February. That’s also right around when the board settled fully into its post-Disney-truce groove, approving projects quickly and with little public debate. The mee…