Some analysts had expected Disney+ sub growth to flatline in the quarter, after a wave of consumers threatened to cancel their subscriptions because of ABC’s decision to
briefly suspend Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show in September over his on-air comments about “the MAGA gang” trying to score political points from Charlie Kirk’s murder. In addition, some conservatives said they dropped Disney’s streaming services in protest of Kimmel’s remarks. While
cancellation rates for Disney+ and Hulu doubled in September vs. the prior two months,
sign-ups also increased for both services, according to independent measurement firm Antenna.