Disney+ Lost 4 Million Subscribers in Q1

The Walt Disney Company revealed that its Disney+ streaming service lost 4 million subscribers in the first quarter of 2023, most of them in India. The revelation came as part of the firm’s quarterly earnings report.

“We’re pleased with our accomplishments this quarter, including the improved financial performance of our streaming business, which reflect the strategic changes we’ve been making throughout the company to realign Disney for sustained growth and success,” CEO Robert A. Iger said. “From movies to television, to sports, news, and our theme parks, we continue to deliver for consumers, while establishing a more efficient, coordinated, and streamlined approach to our operations.”

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Most of the company performed well in the quarter, and Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer saw revenues grow 12 percent to $5.5 billion, while its operating loss decreased from $700 million to $200 million when compared to the year-ago quarter. Disney+ and ESPN+ both made gains while Hulu did not. The gains at Disney+ were attributed to higher subscription revenue (with subscriber growth and higher pricing) and a decrease in marketing costs. ESPN+ benefited from subscription revenue growth due to an increase in retail pricing and subscriber growth. And Hulu experienced higher programming and production costs and lower advertising revenue.

Disney+ finished the quarter with 157.8 million subscribers, down from 161.8 million in the previous quarter. ESPN+ grew its subscriber base by 2 percent to 25.3 million. And Hulu was flat with 48.2 million subscribers.

In a conference call, Mr. Iger said that Disney+ would begin offering a “one app experience” that adds content from Hulu. The firm will continue to offer standalone Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN offerings, but will probably raise prices again later this year. Disney currently owns 66 percent of Hulu (with Comcast owning the rest) and it is considering buying the remainder of the service.

“The best path is to grow this business,” Iger said. “The content on Disney+ with general entertainment is a very strong combination from a subscriber acquisition and subscriber retention perspective, and for advertisers. So where we’re headed is a one-app experience that will have Disney+ and general entertainment content.”

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