Howard Stern Cancels Disney Plus Subscription: Sending a Message with My Wallet

Radio host Howard Stern recently announced that he is canceling his Disney Plus subscription as a form of protest against ABC’s decision to suspend “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Indefinitely. Stern, known for his outspoken nature, expressed his displeasure with the network’s move on his SiriusXM show, citing it as the reason for ending his subscription to Disney’s streaming service.

ABC’s decision to suspend Kimmel’s show came after pressure from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and other major broadcast station owners following Kimmel’s controversial monologue about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The incident has sparked a heated debate about free speech and the role of government in media.

Stern, drawing from his own experiences with censorship, highlighted his concerns about government interference in media. He referenced his history of clashes with the FCC, which resulted in significant fines against radio stations that aired his show for content deemed indecent. This led Stern to ultimately move to satellite provider SiriusXM to escape FCC oversight.

The suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” has prompted a boycott movement, with Stern joining other notable figures in canceling Disney subscriptions in protest. The financial impact on Disney has been notable, with reports of a decline in stock prices and website crashes due to increased traffic from users boycotting the service.

Despite the ongoing controversy, negotiations between Disney and Kimmel representatives are reportedly underway to resolve the situation. The suspension has left around 200 staff members unsure about their future job security, with Disney committing to paying them through the end of September.

As Stern and others emphasize, the situation goes beyond one comedian and raises fundamental questions about free speech and corporate response to government pressure in the media landscape.

The developments surrounding “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” mark a significant moment in American broadcasting, as major station owners have never before preemptively refused to air network programming due to political content. This ongoing story is sure to continue to unfold as negotiations progress and discussions about free speech in media persist.