The CEO of Warner Bros. booed by Boston University graduates during his commencement speech : NPR
The CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, David Zaslav, stands on stage as it is introduced before delivering his graduation address at Boston University, Sunday, May 21, 2023, in Boston.
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The CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, David Zaslav, stands on stage as it is introduced before delivering his graduation address at Boston University, Sunday, May 21, 2023, in Boston.
Steven Senne/AP
Students at Boston University chanted “pay your writers” as David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, speaking at the institution’s graduation on Sunday, amid a writers strike that has affected the television and film industries.
Zaslav graduated from BU’s law school in 1985 and was awarded an honorary degree. On Sunday, he told students the importance of being respectful and kind. But he stopped several times when some students booed, shouted and turned their backs.
Before the program began, about 200 people protested outside Nickerson Field, the graduation venue, holding up signs that read “Protect the rest, not the CEO” and “Reaction aircraft” private force but without a fair wage”. BU Today report.
School received backlash earlier this month when the day after the Writers Guild of America went on strike on May 2, they announced their decision to select Zaslav as the opening speaker.
It was the union’s first strike in 15 years, as they were unable to reach an agreement with the Union of Film and TV Producers, which represents major studios, such as Discovery-Warner, Netflix, Amazon , Apple, Disney, Paramount, Sony and NBC Universal. Writers are advocating for higher pay, improving balances from streaming, and guidance on how artificial intelligence can affect the writer’s room.
“Interference is not meant to prevent students, families, or faculty from attending graduation, or to disrupt the ceremony,” WGA East tweeted.
