Disney+ cancellations double as Jimmy Kimmel faces suspension

New data on Disney+ and Hulu subscription cancellations has shed light on the impact of ABC’s decision to suspend “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” for nearly a week in September.

According to a report from Antenna, cancellations for both streaming services spiked during the period when Jimmy Kimmel’s show was preempted, with Disney+ seeing an 8% churn rate, up from 3-5% over the past year, and Hulu experiencing a 10% decline in subscriptions, compared to 5% the prior month.

While these numbers paint a concerning picture, there was also some good news. Both Disney+ and Hulu saw a significant increase in new subscribers in September, with Disney+ gaining 2.2 million new subscribers and Hulu adding 2.1 million – the biggest bump since March for both services.

This surge in new sign-ups could be attributed to several factors, including the return of Jimmy Kimmel to the airwaves on September 23rd, as well as price increases slated for the following month for most plans on Disney+ and Hulu. Additionally, the start of the NFL season in September, with ESPN (owned by Disney) streaming a full lineup of games, likely attracted new viewership.

The impact of Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension on Disney+ and Hulu remains a topic of interest, prompting some to call for a boycott of Disney. For further insights, USA TODAY has reached out to Disney representatives for comment.

As with any complex situation, there are multiple factors at play in the realm of streaming entertainment, and it will be interesting to see how things unfold for Disney+ and Hulu in the coming months. Stay tuned for more updates.