Antenna on Monday released numbers showing that monthly churn rates for Disney+ and Hulu surged from 4 percent and 5 percent in August to 8 percent and 10 percent in September, respectively.
The doubling of cancelation rates stood out in a streaming landscape where churn rates typically remain somewhat consistent.
Disney+ churn rates had been steady at around 3-4 percent per month consistently this year, with churn rates at Hulu hovering at 4-5 percent per month.
Peacock saw churn rates stable in the 6-8 percent range, Paramount+ in the 5-7 percent range, and HBO Max in the 6-9 percent range.
The Antenna data also carries some asterisks, a Disney source notes.
Disney+ and Hulu’s monthly churn rates increased from 4% and 5% in August to 8% and 10% in September, respectively, according to data revealed by Antenna on Monday. In a streaming environment where churn rates usually stay fairly constant, the cancellation rates’ doubling was notable.
This year, Disney+ churn rates have been stable at about 3–4% per month, while Hulu churn rates have been around 4-5 percent per month. Churn rates for Peacock, Paramount+, and HBO Max were all steady in the 6–8%, 5-7, and 6–9% ranges, respectively. Netflix consistently has a churn rate of just 2% per month, making it the industry leader. Disney was in second place until September.
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The pending cancellations, however, quickly decreased, according to a source, and although people are usually noisy when they leave a service, they usually return in silence afterwards. Following the change, Kimmel’s show’s ratings have also skyrocketed.
There are also some asterisks in the antenna data, according to a Disney source. The numbers seem higher than Disney’s internal data, and it’s unclear how Antenna perceives upgrades or downgrades as a component of Disney’s wholesale business. It’s also unclear how many subscribers canceled because of Kimmel and how many did so as a result of the drama-related price increases that were announced.
Kimmel’s suspension from his ABC late-night show due to a somewhat ambiguous on-air comment on the September incident coincided with the increased churn. Despite the evidence to the contrary, the 15th edition of Jimmy Kimmel Live! concerning the assassination of Charlie Kirk could be interpreted as implying that the suspect was a MAGA conservative. After going viral, the quote sparked a lot of online criticism.
After less than a week, ABC finally brought him back to the air, but his suspension caused a great deal of indignation, with many social media users urging followers to cancel their Disney+ subscriptions. In fact, Kimmel’s friend Howard Stern, the well-known SiriusXM host, claimed on his show that he had canceled Disney+ in opposition to Disney’s action.
