The National Association of Black Journalists has called for a meeting with leaders at Disney and demand change over a "toxic ESPN culture that appears to promote bias," the release said.
The request comes in the wake of the The New York Times' report published Sunday about a conversation ESPN host Rachel Nichols had with media and athlete adviser Adam Mendelsohn in July 2020. In the recorded conversation, Nichols vented her frustration regarding Maria Taylor, who is Black. Nichols said Taylor continues to get favorable NBA coverage because of ESPN's "crappy longtime record on diversity," including being assigned to host ESPN's coverage of the Finals—an assignment Nichols was expecting.