Over 1.7 million subscribers have reportedly canceled their memberships to Disney’s streaming services, including Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN, during a six-day span.
According to the Handbasket newsletter, these cancellations occurred between September 17 and 23. This marks a notable increase in cancellations—around 436%—compared to the usual subscriber churn, as mentioned in the report.
Many users took to social media to share their cancellation confirmations following Disney’s decision on September 17 to suspend “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” from airing.
Kimmel drew criticism when he addressed the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in a monologue just two days prior.
In his remarks, Kimmel expressed concern that media efforts to spin the narrative surrounding Kirk’s death were more about political advantage than the tragedy itself.
Major ABC affiliates, Sinclair and Nexstar, indicated they would not broadcast the show, while the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission suggested possible repercussions for Disney.
His suspension received backlash from various sectors in Hollywood, with many viewing it as an example of government censorship.
Recently, Disney announced an agreement that would allow Kimmel to return to the airwaves.
Initially, Sinclair and Nexstar intended to delay the show, but this preemptive measure impacted a significant portion of viewers on its initial return.
However, they recently revealed that the show’s blackout would be lifted, likely owing to Disney’s strong negotiating position in affiliate contracts.
Nielsen data indicated that while Kimmel’s return led to impressive ratings initially, they started to decline in the following days.
On Thursday, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” averaged 2.3 million viewers, marking a sharp drop of 64% from its earlier 6.5 million viewership.
Advertisers targeting audiences aged 25-54 saw even steeper declines, with Thursday’s episode losing 73% of that demographic. The viewership for Kimmel’s show fell from 1.7 million on Tuesday to just 465,000 by Thursday.
Similarly, for viewers aged 18-49, the show managed 1.2 million on Tuesday but plummeted 73% to just 334,000 within two days.
As Kimmel returned, Disney announced upcoming price hikes for its streaming services. The Disney+/Hulu bundle with ads will increase from $11 to $13, while the ad-free Disney+ Premium will rise from $16 to $19. Additionally, the ad-supported Disney+ plans will go up by $2, reaching $12, and Hulu + Live TV with ads will face a $7 increase, now costing $90 per month.
Disney and ABC have been approached for comments regarding these developments.
