Disney subscribers will face higher bills starting next month.The entertainment company announced Tuesday that it's hiking prices across its streaming services, starting Oct. 21. This comes just days after ending the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show amid a fierce free speech controversy that saw many subscribers canceling their Disney+ and Hulu accounts.According to CNN, Disney+ with ads will increase by $2 to $11.99 monthly, while the ad-free tier will increase by $3 to $18.99. Hulu's ad-supported plan also rises $2 to $11.99, and various bundles will see monthly increases. ESPN Select rounds out the hikes with a $1 bump to $12.99.Disney has implemented annual price increases in October since 2023, and sources familiar with the decision told CNN that Tuesday's announcement was part of the company's "normal business process." The Hollywood Reporter points out that while Disney has regular price increase cycles, the timing "comes at somewhat of an odd time for the company," given the recent subscriber exodus. As mentioned, the price hike comes as Disney faces ongoing backlash over its handling of Jimmy Kimmel's show. ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! last Wednesday but reversed course on Monday and brought Kimmel back Tuesday night. Before this reversal, Fortune reported that even Disney actors were joining boycott calls, with writer-producer Damon Lindelof stating that he couldn't "in good conscience work for the company" unless Kimmel's suspension was lifted.Tech Radar reports that after Disney's last price hike in October 2024 and its crackdown on password sharing, the service lost 700,000...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Wednesday, 24 September