Disney to combine Disney+ and Hulu amid massive subscriber loss
What's the story
On Wednesday, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced the company's decision to merge Disney+ and Hulu into a single streaming app.
Iger added that the firm will increase the price of its ad-free plan, which is currently available at $10.99 for American users.
This decision comes in the wake of Disney's third-quarter reports, wherein the company lost about 4M subscribers while Hulu gained 2,00,000.
Iger's comments
Plan will 'provide greater opportunities for advertisers'
Iger shed light on the company's plans, "While we continue to offer Disney plus Hulu and ESPN plus as standalone options, this is a logical progression of our DTC [direct-to-consumer] offerings that will provide greater opportunities for advertisers while giving bundle subscribers access to more robust and streamlined content, resulting in greater audience engagement and ultimately leading to a more unified streaming experience."
Business
Disney has lost a massive subscriber base from India
Earlier, in the last quarter of 2022, 2.4M users bid adieu to the House of Mouse.
Per The Vulture, most of the loss emanated from India and some other Asian countries.
In India, Disney+ Hotstar has lost subscribers since IPL matches are no longer broadcast on it.
Additionally, the removal of HBO content (Game of Thrones, Succession, etc.) is another contributing factor.
App's future
There are more changes on the card
Iger also added that the app is expected to roll out by the end of the year.
The company is working toward removing some content from its streaming services.
Disney CFO McCarthy said that the company is "in the process of reviewing the content on our DTC services to align with the strategic changes in our approach to content curation."
Hulu
Meanwhile, what shows/films is Hulu known for?
Hulu's appeal comes from its shows such as the reality TV series The Kardashians, the drama series Great Expectations, the comedy-mystery show Only Murders in the Building, the dystopian series The Handmaid's Tale, the romance drama Normal People, and the drama series Tiny Beautiful Things.
S.W.AT, Pearl Harbor, X-Men, Slumdog Millionaire, The King's Man, and The Terminator, among others, are also available.