Disney+ Sees Sudden Drop in Subscribers After Jimmy Kimmel Drama

Disney+ and Hulu experienced a significant increase in subscription cancellations last month, following the brief suspension of Jimmy Kimmel from his ABC show.

Key Findings from Antenna

• Disney+ cancellations doubled from 4% to 8% in September.
• Hulu saw an even larger jump, from 5% to 10%.

Industry Comparison

• Other streaming services like Peacock, Paramount+, and HBO Max have seen more stable numbers.
• Netflix, the market leader, maintains the lowest cancellation rate at just 2% per month.

The Kimmel Effect

The spike in cancellations is linked to the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel. He made a comment on his show that some found offensive. The comment went viral, sparking outrage on social media and calls for a boycott of Disney+.

• Disney reinstated Kimmel after a few days, but the damage was done.
• Even Kimmel's friend, radio host Howard Stern, canceled his Disney+ subscription in protest.

Data Controversy

Disney questions the accuracy of Antenna's data, suggesting it might include plan changes rather than outright cancellations. Additionally, Disney's planned price increase around the same time could have contributed to the spike.