Disney+ and Hulu faced a notable surge in subscription cancellations in September, coinciding with the temporary suspension of the show “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” by ABC. According to subscription analytics firm Antenna, the month recorded approximately 4.1 million cancellations for Hulu and 3 million for Disney+. The “churn rate,” reflecting the percentage of subscribers canceled in a specific period, saw a significant increase, rising from 5% in August to 10% in September for Hulu. Similarly, Disney+ experienced a rise from 4% to 8% during the same timeframe.
The suspension of Kimmel’s show, which lasted less than a week, was prompted by backlash related to his comments regarding the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The remarks led to strong reactions from various sectors of the entertainment industry, with some celebrities advocating for a boycott of Disney’s platforms, which could explain some of the customer churn.
Despite the cancellations, September also saw increased signups for both streaming services, outpacing figures from the previous five months. Antenna’s data, which does not include subscribers engaged in bundled deals, indicates that Disney and Hulu had a total of 183 million combined subscriptions reported in their latest earnings account for the quarter ending June 28. Interestingly, Disney’s management has not provided any comments regarding the fluctuations in subscriber numbers or the Kimmel suspension.
As Disney navigates these challenges, the dual trends of increased cancellations and higher signups may reflect a dynamic consumer landscape that is increasingly influenced by social and political discourse in entertainment. While the current statistics paint a somewhat startling picture, they also hint at a broader engagement by audiences with the narratives and personalities that media companies choose to feature.