*Disney+ and Hulu saw a significant increase in subscriber cancellations after ABC briefly suspended Jimmy Kimmel, according to subscription analytics from Antenna, per THR.
Between August and September, Disney+’s monthly cancellation rate rose from 4% to 8%, while Hulu’s climbed from 5% to 10%, a sharp deviation from their usual steady rates. Typically, Disney+ sees 3-4% churn monthly, and Hulu averages 4-5%. In comparison, platforms like Peacock, Paramount+, and HBO Max hover in the mid-single digits, while Netflix maintains a low 2% churn rate. Sources suggest many cancellations were short-lived, with subscribers quietly resubscribing after the initial reaction.
The spike aligned with Kimmel’s suspension following a controversial comment about Charlie Kirk’s assassin on the September 15 episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!.” ABC reinstated Kimmel within a week, but the incident sparked social media backlash and calls to drop Disney+ subscriptions.
A Disney insider noted that factors such as subscription upgrades, downgrades, and planned price hikes might have contributed to the churn, making it hard to pin the exact impact on Kimmel’s suspension alone. The data suggests a potential loss of around 3 million subscribers, though many likely returned later.
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Kimmel’s suspension disrupted his 200-person team and affiliates like Nexstar and Sinclair, leading to temporary schedule changes and special programming. After internal reviews confirmed no FCC violations, Disney brought Kimmel back.
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