(qlmbusinessnews.com . Tue 21st Oct, 2025) London, UK —
Jimmy Kimmel's Absence Triggers Double-Digit Churn Rates for Disney Streaming Services
In a turn of events that may have impacted entertainment behemoth Disney financially, September saw the cancellation rates for Disney+ and Hulu double, following the brief off-air period of popular TV host Jimmy Kimmel, suggesting his absence might have been detrimental to the corporation's revenue.
Antenna, an analytical firm, disclosed data indicating a significant spike in the churn rate – the metric representing the proportion of subscribers opting to cancel their subscriptions each month. For Disney+, this rate escalated from an average of 4% to 8%, translating to approximately three million subscriber cancellations. Concurrently, Hulu experienced an increase in its churn rate to over 10%, equivalent to more than 4 million cancellations.
The catalyst for this dramatic shift was Disney's decision to suspend Kimmel subsequent to his remarks regarding the shooting of Charlie Kirk, acting under the influence of a directive from a federal regulator. This move incited a flurry of debates centred around the principles of free expression.
ABC, the broadcaster of “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” swiftly reinstated the host within a week amid mounting criticism of their initial decision.
The suspension occurred after comments made by Kimmel on his show, referring to the individual who murdered Charlie Kirk as part of the “Maga gang,” accusing them of exploiting the tragedy for political gain. This action prompted Brendan Carr, the chairperson of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), to threaten the revocation of ABC's broadcasting licence, a threat made mere hours before the suspension was enforced.
The decision was met with widespread protests in California, alongside denouncement from writers, actors guilds, politicians, and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), condemning ABC's move as an act of censorship and a breach of free speech rights. There were also calls for economic boycotts against Disney to exert pressure on the conglomerate.
In support of Kimmel, hundreds of celebrities and stalwarts from Hollywood signed a letter, which eventually saw him reinstated.
According to the latest insights from Antenna released on a Monday, the repercussions of this saga were made apparent as Disney+ and Hulu experienced a sharper decline in subscribers during September in contrast to prior months, while Netflix managed to maintain its churn rate at a steady 2%.
However, it remains to be elucidated whether it was solely Kimmel’s suspension that triggered the surge in cancellations, particularly as Disney had concurrently announced hikes in subscription prices amidst endeavours to augment streaming service profits.
Despite the uptick in cancellations, Antenna notes that both Disney+ and Hulu witnessed increases in new sign-ups during September which helped mitigate some losses.
As of now, Disney has refrained from commenting on the situation, and Hulu has not issued a response.
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