In September, Disney+ and Hulu experienced a significant rise in subscription cancellations, closely aligned with the temporary suspension of ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Analytics from Antenna revealed approximately 4.1 million cancellations for Hulu and 3 million for Disney+. The churn rate, which measures the percentage of subscribers canceling within a specific period, notably jumped for both services. Hulu’s cancellations surged from 5% in August to 10% in September, while Disney+ rose from 4% to 8%.
The brief suspension of Kimmel’s show, which lasted less than a week, stemmed from controversy over his comments regarding the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. These remarks triggered substantial backlash across the entertainment industry, with some celebrities advocating for a boycott of Disney’s platforms, potentially contributing to the increased rate of cancellations.
Despite these losses, September also marked a resurgence in new signups for both streaming services, surpassing figures from the previous five months. Antenna’s data, excluding bundled subscriber numbers, indicates that Disney and Hulu collectively reached a total of 183 million subscriptions according to their latest quarterly report ending June 28. Interestingly, Disney’s management has remained silent on the fluctuations in subscriber numbers or the reasons behind Kimmel’s show’s suspension.
As Disney navigates through these shifting dynamics, the concurrent trends of increased cancellations and new signups suggest a complex consumer landscape influenced by the ever-evolving social and political discourse in entertainment. While the current statistics may seem disconcerting, they also indicate a growing audience engagement with the narratives and personalities of the media, hinting at the possibility for a more informed and active viewer base in the future.