**The Hollywood Reporter**
*September 30, 2025*
By Alex Weprin

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**The Impact of Jimmy Kimmel’s Suspension on Disney+: Can We Tell?**

The timing of streaming billing cycles and Disney’s recent decision to stop reporting subscriber numbers will likely obscure any clear impact from the recent protest-driven cancellations following Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension.

While the Kimmel controversy might have quieted for now, Disney may have to grapple with the fallout for some time—especially regarding its key growth driver, Disney+. The public focus has largely been on the role of the FCC and local station owners such as Sinclair and Nexstar in the suspension decision. However, there was also a very public pressure campaign urging consumers to cancel their Disney+ subscriptions in protest.

Notably, Howard Stern joined the chorus, declaring he would skip watching *Frozen* and *Encanto* until Kimmel returned to the air. So, did this campaign actually work?

There are signs it might have played a role—though it’s unlikely we’ll ever know the full effect.

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**Analyst Insights: The Impact May Be Hidden**

On Tuesday, Bank of America analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich suggested there might be a modest impact on subscriber numbers, but clarifies it will be difficult to isolate how much of that effect is due solely to the Kimmel suspension.

Reif Ehrlich points to the tricky timing of streaming billing cycles. Although both the Kimmel suspension and a surprise Disney+ price hike occurred in September—Disney’s fiscal Q4—cancellations made in late September may not show up in subscriber data until October, the start of Disney’s fiscal Q1.

To further complicate matters, Disney recently announced it will no longer report Disney+ subscriber numbers starting in fiscal Q1. Disney CEO Bob Iger and CFO Hugh Johnston explained to investors:

> “We believe quarterly updates on the number of paid subscribers and ARPU [average revenue per user] have become less meaningful to evaluating the performance of our businesses. While we will no longer disclose subscribers and ARPU, we will provide information on Entertainment Direct-to-Consumer profitability.”

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**Profitability vs. Subscription Numbers**

Reif Ehrlich also notes that with the price hike effective October 1, Disney’s profitability is expected to increase—even if subscriber numbers decline.

Disney previously projected a modest increase in Disney+ subscribers, anticipating a growth of about 10 million combined Disney+ and Hulu subscribers, largely thanks to a commercial deal with Charter for Hulu.

If the independent journalist Marisa Kabas’s estimate is accurate, Disney+ may have experienced around 1.7 million cancellations during the protest window. However, it is unclear how many cancellations stemmed from the Kimmel controversy and how many resulted from the simultaneous price increase.

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**The Challenges of Direct-to-Consumer Streaming**

Disney is navigating a transition from the wholesale pay-TV era to a direct-to-consumer streaming model. This new model brings advantages—such as direct access to consumer data and a stronger relationship—but also exposes the company to users’ immediate frustrations and changing loyalties.

Subscribers can leave as quickly as they join—sometimes even faster, as demonstrated recently by The Washington Post’s experience.

Needham analyst Laura Martin’s controversial suggestion that Disney should shut down ABC to free itself from regulatory burdens might sound increasingly appealing amid these challenges.

Tactically, Martin recommends:

> “DIS [Disney] launch simulcasts of all ABC broadcast content on Hulu (in addition to its ABC app), so viewers can always watch DIS content on an unregulated platform, preserving revenue.”

Would this strategy reduce FCC scrutiny? Maybe. Would it solve the complex challenge of appealing to a broad American audience via streaming subscriptions *without* alienating any particular group? That remains to be seen.

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**Looking Ahead**

For Jimmy Kimmel, the controversy may be a thing of the past—much like the New York City Department of Transportation street signs he might pass during a drive through Brooklyn might say when dismissing any lingering drama: *Fuhgeddaboudit.*

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### Reader Comments

**nickcarraway:** *Jimmy and Disney: a perfect match.*

**TXBlair:** *“Je suis Charlie. May the good Lord receive and embrace you, Mr. Kirk.”*

**DAC21:** *I don’t believe for a nanosecond the reported 1.7 million cancellations of Disney+ after the Kimmel suspension by their leftist audience. Absolute BS. No coincidence that they raised subscription prices at the same time to muddy the waters.*

**nickcarraway:** *Not everyone is a leftist. A lot of people don’t pay attention to that.*

**Sarah Barracuda:** *From what I hear, Kimmel’s ratings are back to his regular numbers—which means Peppa Pig is beating him yet again.*

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