Disney+, Hulu Churn Rates Spiked Around Jimmy Kimmel Suspension, Antenna Says; Firm Also Gauges Fox One & ESPN Progress

Core Insights - The suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! led to a significant increase in subscriber churn rates for Disney+ and Hulu, with churn rates reaching 8% and 10% respectively, compared to 4% and 5% in August [1][2] - Social media reactions indicated that some Disney+ subscribers canceled their subscriptions in protest against Disney during the Kimmel incident, which was triggered by a controversial joke [2] - New subscriber data for ESPN and Fox One showed 2.1 million and 1.1 million signups respectively since their launch on August 21, 2023 [3][4] Subscriber Churn Analysis - Disney+ and Hulu experienced a doubling of churn rates during the Kimmel suspension, with Disney+ at 8% and Hulu at 10% [1] - HBO Max also saw an increase in churn to 9% from 8% in August, contributing to an overall rise in churn rates across streaming services [7] New Service Performance - ESPN's new stand-alone service achieved 2.1 million signups, while Fox One reached 1.1 million signups by the end of September [3] - Sign-ups for ESPN and Fox One were notably higher during weekends, particularly around significant sports events [5] Pricing and Churn Relationship - Disney was implementing price increases across its streaming services during the Kimmel incident, which typically leads to short-term churn increases [6] - The overall trend in subscriber churn aligns with Nielsen data indicating a seasonal shift in TV viewing habits, with a resurgence in pay-TV viewing during football season [7]