Disney’s Subscriber Losses Linked to Jimmy Kimmel
Jimmy Kimmel’s show appears to have contributed to significant subscriber losses for Disney, possibly amounting to millions in September. An analysis from Antenna revealed that, during this month, Disney+ initially had 2.18 million subscribers but ended up losing around 3 million. Meanwhile, Hulu achieved a gain of 2.1 million subscribers, yet it also saw a loss of 4.1 million.
This translates to a net loss of 820,000 subscribers for Disney+ and 2 million for Hulu, totaling an 820,000 subscriber reduction for Disney overall.
It’s common for people to cancel subscription services, but September was notably different:
Normally, Disney+ and Hulu experience average monthly cancellation rates of 4% and 5%, respectively, but in September, those rates jumped to 8% and 10%.
Interestingly, competitors’ churn rates did not see similar spikes; some only increased by 1 or 2 percentage points, while many others remained stable. Nothing else seemed to double like this.
This data hints that Kimmel’s influence might cost Disney significantly; given a net subscriber loss of 4.1 million, that analysis suggests a potential financial impact of around $40 million just for September.
For a brief moment, ABC/Disney could take pride in the ratings boost Kimmel’s show received following his return from suspension due to allegations of spreading misinformation, particularly around Turning Point USA and related incidents. However, that moment was fleeting. Kimmel’s ratings have plummeted again, and he continues to spread false narratives, making recent claims about Antifa allies demonstrably untrue.
If Kimmel remains on air next year, it would likely reflect Disney/ABC’s deep-seated disapproval of Trump supporters rather than any merit or profitability.
Disney, through ABC, has broadcast hours filled with animosity towards certain audience groups via Kimmel and other shows. This could be seen as a violation of the agreement broadcasters made to serve the public interest in exchange for airwave access.
Given these circumstances, some are calling for ABC to lose its broadcasting license.
