Disney found itself at the center of a storm this September, as its streaming platforms Disney+ and Hulu faced an unprecedented wave of cancellations following the brief suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. The incident, which began on September 17, 2025, when ABC and Disney pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off the air, quickly spiraled into a nationwide debate about free speech, corporate responsibility, and the influence of political pressure on media.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the cancellation rates for both Disney+ and Hulu doubled in August and then surged even higher in September. Data from subscription analytics firm Antenna revealed that Disney+’s cancellation rate leapt from 4% to 8%, while Hulu’s rose from 5% to 10%. In raw numbers, that translated to a staggering 7 million cancellations in September alone—3 million for Disney+ and 4.1 million for Hulu, as reported by The New York Times and corroborated by Seeking Alpha and LiveNOW Fox.
The chain reaction began after Jimmy Kimmel made controversial remarks about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during his monologue. Kimmel, known for his pointed critiques of former President Donald Trump and his administration, called Kirk’s death a “senseless murder” and expressed sympathy for the family, but also lambasted the political response. His comments prompted outrage among Kirk’s supporters and drew the attention of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, who pressured ABC and its affiliates to remove Kimmel from the airwaves. As The Hill noted, Carr accused Kimmel of attempting to “directly mislead the American public” and warned of potential repercussions for ABC and Disney if action wasn’t taken.
ABC responded by suspending Kimmel on September 17, 2025. The move was met with swift backlash—not only from viewers but also from prominent figures in the media. Howard Stern and others publicly criticized Disney’s decision and urged subscribers to cancel their Disney+ and Hulu accounts in protest. Cynthia Nixon, among other celebrities, joined the call, amplifying the message on social media and mainstream news outlets. The impact was immediate and severe: Antenna’s research indicated that the rate of customer defections for both platforms doubled, with the total number of cancellations far outpacing previous months.
Local television affiliates were also swept up in the controversy. Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group, two of the largest owners of ABC-affiliated stations, initially refused to carry “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” after the suspension. This blackout affected dozens of cities across the United States, leaving viewers without access to the long-running late-night program. However, once Disney reinstated Kimmel less than a week later, both Nexstar and Sinclair quickly brought the show back to their lineups. The blackout had lasted just over a week, but the repercussions for Disney’s streaming business were already in motion.
When Kimmel returned to the air on September 23, he addressed the controversy head-on. He did not apologize outright, but clarified, “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” acknowledging that his comments may have “felt either ill-timed or unclear or maybe both.” He also used his platform to emphasize the importance of free speech, blending humor with pointed commentary about the political climate. His return episode attracted 6.3 million viewers—more than three times his usual audience, according to preliminary Nielsen ratings cited by The Wall Street Journal. This surge in viewership did not include streaming figures, which likely pushed the total even higher.
Despite the mass exodus of subscribers, there was a silver lining for Disney. As reported by The New York Times, both Disney+ and Hulu saw an uptick in new signups during September, with Disney+ gaining 2.2 million new subscriptions (a 10% increase from August) and Hulu adding 2.1 million (a 5% rise). This suggests that while many customers left in protest, others were drawn in—perhaps by the heightened publicity or by promotional offers. Overall, Disney reported that as of the quarter ending June 28, 2025, its combined streaming platforms boasted 183 million subscriptions worldwide, with Disney+ alone accounting for 128 million.
Adding to the turbulence, Disney announced on September 24 that it would be raising prices for both Disney+ and Hulu. The ad-supported Disney+ plan jumped from $9.99 to $11.99 per month, while the ad-free version soared to $18.99. Bundled packages also saw increases: the Disney+ and Hulu ad package rose by $2, and the Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN bundle increased by $3. Packages that include Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max will also cost $3 more each month. These price hikes, coming on the heels of the Kimmel controversy, may have further fueled subscriber dissatisfaction.
Disney, for its part, declined to comment on the cancellation figures, and a source told The Hill that Antenna’s numbers were higher than Disney’s own internal data. The source also noted that the reported figures did not include the company’s wholesale business, and that both streaming platforms saw a sharp increase in audience once Kimmel returned to the air.
Industry analysts point out that Disney’s predicament is emblematic of the challenges facing legacy media companies as they navigate the transition from traditional cable to direct-to-consumer streaming. With hundreds of millions of dollars invested in building out Disney+ and Hulu, the company has little margin for error when it comes to public relations or pricing strategy. As more consumers cut the cord and competition intensifies, even a brief controversy can have outsized consequences.
For now, Disney’s experience serves as a cautionary tale for the streaming era: in a landscape where viewers are empowered to vote with their wallets, every decision—whether about content, pricing, or corporate values—can reverberate far beyond the boardroom. The events of September 2025 will likely be studied for years to come, as media companies weigh the risks and rewards of navigating an increasingly polarized and unpredictable marketplace.
