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A few ESPN reporters gave their parent company Disney a plug for its new streaming service on the day of its launch.
- Disney launched its new streaming service Disney Plus on Tuesday, pitting the company against the likes of Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime.
- Several employees at ESPN, which is owned by Disney, tweeted out messages promoting the new platform, with NFL insider Adam Schefter saying, "It will change lives."
- On Twitter, some critics questioned the blurring of lines between journalism and promotion from the ESPN employees, while others joked at Schefter's extreme endorsement.
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Disney launched its new streaming platform Disney Plus on Tuesday, bringing Disney into the streaming wars against the likes of Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime.
The launch was heavily promoted across all types of media but received some odd and somewhat confusing plugs from reporters at ESPN, including NFL insider Adam Schefter and NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski.
"Big day for the new Disney+ service," wrote Schefter. "It will change lives."
Other ESPN personalities also tweeted about their excitement for the new streaming service, including Stephen A. Smith, Matthew Berry, and John Buccigross.
Schefter, Wojnarowski, and Smith have a combined 15.8 million followers on Twitter, making their co-signing of the service no small favor but rather a hefty dose of advertising.
On Twitter, some took issue with the blurring of journalistic lines, while others joked at the degree to which Schefter had hyped the streaming service.
Not everyone took issue with the tweets. Richard Deitsch, who covers sports media for The Athletic, suggested the mass promotion came along with being a part of a company, though said that adding a "#ad" might have helped things come across a bit more smoothly.
As ESPN's parent company, it's not surprising that Disney would heavily advertise its new service on the Worldwide Leader in Sports, and fans watching "Monday Night Football" were treated to plenty of teases regarding the streaming platform.
Still, the promotion of Disney Plus by ESPN employees, especially the likes of Schefter and Wojnarowski who are news-breakers and journalists rather than strictly commentators, raises some interesting questions.
Business Insider reached out to ESPN for clarification on whether or not employees were directed to promote Disney Plus, whether they received payment for their endorsement.
ESPN did not respond in time for publication. We will update the post with their statement should we hear back.
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