Spend five minutes on social media and you might think the conservative movement is falling apart.

Republicans are arguing about a lot these days, from foreign policy to strategy for the next election.

Healthy debate is part of politics. But while those arguments dominate the headlines, something far more significant is happening quietly in the background.

Conservatives are starting to win the culture war again.

And the recent collapse of the proposed Netflix–Warner Bros. Discovery deal is a perfect example.

Netflix sought to absorb the company, which would have created an even larger streaming giant with massive influence over what Americans watch and, increasingly, what messages they are expected to absorb.

Hollywood and the streaming industry no longer just produce entertainment. They shape culture. They shape narratives. And for years, many of these institutions have leaned heavily into progressive activism and the kind of “woke” messaging that alienates millions of Americans who simply want to enjoy a movie or television show without being lectured.

Then the political pressure began.

President Trump publicly opposed the merger. Conservative voices raised concerns about media consolidation and about expanding the power of cultural institutions that already lean heavily to the Left.

Suddenly, what looked like a routine corporate deal became something else entirely — a cultural flashpoint.

And in late February, the deal collapsed.

Even more interesting is what happened next. Paramount, another bidder — backed by Larry Ellison, one of the most outspoken pro-Trump voices in American business — stepped forward.

That’s not just a business development. It’s a signal.

For years, conservatives were told the culture war was unwinnable. Hollywood was too powerful. Silicon Valley was too dominant. Corporate America had permanently aligned itself with progressive politics.

The message from the Left was simple: accept it.

But over the past few years, conservatives discovered something important: pressure works.

Bud Light learned that lesson the hard way. A tone-deaf marketing campaign sparked one of the most successful consumer boycotts in modern American history. Billions in market value evaporated and one of the country’s most recognizable brands suffered lasting damage.

Cracker Barrel experienced similar backlash when customers pushed back against progressive messaging that had little to do with serving breakfast.

Now Netflix is feeling that same pressure.

For years, corporate executives believed they could align openly with progressive activism without facing real consequences. Diversity bureaucracies expanded. Political messaging crept into advertising campaigns, entertainment content, as well as corporate statements.

The assumption was that conservatives might complain, but they would keep buying the product.

That assumption is no longer safe.

Businesses respond to incentives. They always have.

When conservative consumers stay quiet, companies drift Left. When conservative consumers push back, companies suddenly start reconsidering their strategy.

The Biden years showed what happens when one side dominates the cultural conversation. Progressive activists shaped corporate messaging. DEI programs spread rapidly across major institutions. Hollywood and streaming companies increasingly reflected the worldview of a narrow ideological class in Los Angeles and Silicon Valley.

How many culture-war victories did conservatives get during those years? Not many.

But elections change incentives. President Trump’s election sent a clear signal: the cultural dominance of the Left was no longer inevitable.

Corporate leaders began to realize that tens of millions of Americans were no longer willing to be dismissed or mocked by the cultural institutions that dominate entertainment and media.

Does this mean conservatives suddenly control Hollywood? Of course not. The entertainment industry will remain overwhelmingly liberal for the foreseeable future.

But the dynamic has changed.

For the first time in a long time, the cultural institutions that shape American entertainment are being forced to recognize that half the country will no longer sit quietly while those institutions push politics into every corner of popular culture.

That recognition alone represents a major shift.

Conservatives win when they stay engaged. When they vote. When they speak up. And when they refuse to accept the idea that cultural power belongs exclusively to elites in Hollywood, Manhattan, and Silicon Valley.

The culture war isn’t decided in one election or one corporate deal. It’s a long struggle over the values that shape American life.

But corporate America is beginning to understand something it ignored for years: pressure works.

Bud Light learned it. Cracker Barrel learned it. And now Netflix is learning it too.

* * *

Jason Chaffetz served as a member of the U.S. Congress from 2009 to 2017. He chaired the House Oversight Committee.

The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Menu

The Lesson Corporate America Keeps Learning The Hard Way