Stephen King takes aim at ABC – ‘You have to do better’

Author Stephen King criticized ABC News for the network’s coverage of headlines surrounding parent company Disney.

Broadcaster ABC is part of the Disney Entertainment division of the Walt Disney Company. ABC has been under the Disney umbrella since 1996.

It author King, who regularly uses his social media platform to weigh in on a wide range of topics, took to X, formerly Twitter, on Monday to voice his objections to some of ABC’s recent coverage of Disney, given the relationship.

He wrote: “ABC Nightly News: For three 30-minute shows in a row, ABC News featured stories about Disney. They are, in fact, the same corporation. This is advertising disguised as news. Shame on ABC. You have to do better.”

King did not specify the coverage he contested. Newsweek has reached out to representatives for ABC News and King by email for comment.

The author’s post comes weeks after he called out CNN anchor Jake Tapper over a colorful item of clothing, leading to an online exchange in which he asked the host if he had lost a bet.

After viewing The main one with Jake Tapper in late July, King asked X, “What’s with Jake Tapper’s tie? Did he lose a bet?”

Tapper posted King’s comment and shared a screenshot of himself while on TV, showing the connection the writer was referring to. The item in question featured yellow with purple flower-like details.

“This tie will forever be known as IT,” Tapper wrote, referring to King’s best-selling novel.

King is an avid social media user who often uses his platform to share his views on various issues and criticize figures such as former President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, whose acquisition of X was completed in October 2022 .

In November 2022, a few weeks after Musk officially acquired X, King expressed his displeasure with the direction the microblogging platform was taking.

“I think Elon Musk is a visionary,” King wrote. “He almost single-handedly changed the way Americans think about automobiles. I have a Tesla and I love it. That said, it was a terrible fit for Twitter. He seems to be making it up as he goes along.”

“Suggestions welcome Mr. (King),” Musk replied, using a crown emoji in place of King’s last name.

Another user wrote in the thread that Musk should invite King to X’s headquarters in San Francisco, California to “have a face-to-face conversation,” a tweet to which the CEO simply replied: ” He’s invited!”

Musk commented on a number of King’s posts about himself and X as a whole. A few days after the CEO initially took over X, the author wrote: “I think I liked Twitter better in the pre-Musk days. Less controversy, more fun.”

The business owner playfully responded with a ghost emoji. “I’m still a fan of yours (to be honest),” Musk said in a later post. King apparently did not respond, and the billionaire later deleted the comment.

In November 2022, Musk reiterated his admiration for King when he said in an X post that the writer is “one of the most creative people on Earth. While I may not agree with everything he says, I really want to hear it.”