What's happened
Recent developments show a surge in subscription cancellations for Disney+ and Hulu following a brief suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! over comments about Charlie Kirk. Data from Antenna indicates cancellation rates doubled in September, with 4.1 million Hulu and 3 million Disney+ subscribers leaving amid political tensions and price hikes. Meanwhile, new bundle offers aim to attract customers with discounts, as the streaming landscape evolves.
What's behind the headline?
The recent surge in cancellations for Disney+ and Hulu underscores how sensitive streaming subscribers are to political controversies involving major content creators. The suspension of Kimmel, driven by political pressure and FCC influence, appears to have triggered a significant backlash, with over 7 million subscribers leaving in September. This indicates that even high-profile content and corporate decisions are now closely scrutinized by consumers, who are willing to cancel subscriptions over perceived political missteps.
The doubling of churn rates suggests that Disney's attempt to navigate the culture wars has backfired, risking long-term subscriber loyalty. The company's response—reinstating Kimmel and launching new bundle discounts—aims to stem the tide, but the damage to brand trust may persist. The broader industry trend of bundling and price hikes continues, with Disney and others trying to balance profitability with consumer retention.
Looking ahead, Disney's strategy to fully integrate Hulu into Disney+ and offer more attractive bundles could help recover lost subscribers. However, the political controversy highlights the risks of engaging in culture war disputes, which can alienate viewers and lead to significant subscriber churn. The next few months will determine whether Disney can stabilize its subscriber base or if this episode marks a more sustained shift in consumer loyalty toward more neutral or less politicized streaming options.
What the papers say
The coverage from Business Insider UK, The Independent, and AP News presents a consistent picture: Disney and Hulu faced a sharp increase in cancellations after the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! in September. Business Insider UK notes that the churn rate doubled, with over 7 million subscribers leaving, and highlights the political controversy surrounding Kimmel's comments about Charlie Kirk. The Independent emphasizes the impact of the suspension on subscriber numbers, citing data from Antenna, and discusses Disney's efforts to mitigate the fallout through new bundle deals and price hikes.
AP News echoes these findings, reporting that cancellations in September were more than double the recent average, with 4.1 million Hulu and 3 million Disney+ subscribers leaving. All sources agree that the controversy, driven by political pressure and FCC influence, significantly affected subscriber loyalty. They also note Disney's strategic response—reinstating Kimmel and introducing promotional offers—to recover from the backlash.
Contrasting opinions are minimal, as all sources align on the core facts. However, some commentary suggests that Disney's decision to suspend and then quickly reinstate Kimmel may have been a miscalculation, risking long-term brand trust. The overall consensus is that the episode underscores the fragility of subscriber loyalty in a politically charged environment, with Disney's future strategies likely to focus on stabilizing its subscriber base through bundling and price adjustments.
How we got here
Disney owns the streaming platforms Hulu and Disney+, which faced subscriber losses after ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! for comments about Charlie Kirk. The suspension, driven by political pressure and FCC concerns, led to a spike in cancellations and a temporary drop in subscriber numbers. Disney responded by reinstating the show, but the controversy appears to have affected customer retention. The company is also introducing new bundle deals and raising prices across its streaming services, amid broader industry trends of consolidation and competitive offers.
Go deeper
- How did Disney's decision to suspend and then reinstate Kimmel affect its subscriber base?
- What are the new bundle offers Disney is promoting to recover subscribers?
- Could this controversy influence future Disney content and policy decisions?
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Hulu is an American subscription video on demand service fully controlled and majority-owned by Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International, a business segment of The Walt Disney Company, with NBCUniversal, owned by Comcast, as an equity stakeholde
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Charlie Kirk is an American conservative activist. He founded Turning Point USA with William T. Montgomery in 2012.
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The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney, is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California.
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James Christian Kimmel is an American television host, comedian, writer, actor, and producer. He is the host and executive producer of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, a late-night talk show that premiered on ABC on January 26, 2003, at Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hol
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ESPN is an American multinational basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company and Hearst Communications. The company was founded in 1979 by Bill Rasmussen along with his son Scott Rasmussen and Ed Egan.
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Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, and broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC). The nightly hour-long show tapes and is based out of the El Capitan Entertainment Centre (ECEC), formerly