Disney's recent PR campaign highlighted the theme park empire's economic benefits to Florida, with TV ads featuring small-business owners expressing gratitude for Disney's business. However, the media's immediate acceptance of Disney's $40 billion economic impact claim without questioning or verifying the figure is surprising. The Associated Press story carried by the Sentinel noted that the figure was based on a "company-ordered" study, but no one attempted to vet the study's numbers or validity.
Disney and the study's conductor, Oxford Economics, refused to release backup documentation to support their claim, leaving the figure's legitimacy unverified. This raises questions about the quality and reliability of the "impact" being touted. Not all economic benefits are created equal, and some may even place a financial burden on the state and community.
^^, while Disney's economic impact on Florida is undoubtedly significant, it is essential to critically evaluate the claim of $40 billion in benefits.
Using TV ads that featured small-business owners who thanked Disney for doing business with them, the PR campaign was basically meant to remind everyone how valuable the theme park empire is to Florida. Disney and the study's conductor, Oxford Economics, refused to release backup documentation to support their claim, leaving the figure's legitimacy unverified. This raises questions about the quality and reliability of the "impact" being touted. Not all economic benefits are created equal, and some may even place a financial burden on the state and community.
^^, while Disney's economic impact on Florida is undoubtedly significant, it is essential to critically evaluate the claim of $40 billion in benefits.
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