Article

2023-08-10 -Great Cultural Revolution

Disney to raise prices on Disney+ and Hulu streaming services

[10 News] That'll turn around those dropping numbers for Disney+. Charge more for crap.
Youbetcha
The company said it will also start cracking down on password sharing.

Disney is looking to join Netflix in raising prices for its streaming services and cracking down on password sharing.

During an earnings call Wednesday, Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger said the company is looking to increase profits by hiking prices by $3 for its ad-free Disney+ and Hulu, increasing monthly subscription costs to almost $14 and $18, respectively. He acknowledged that the price hikes are intended to steer customers toward the cheaper, ad-supported versions of its streaming services — whose prices are not expected to change — with Iger adding that it's a healthier business than traditional television ads.

The Disney CEO also said the company will adjust subscriber agreements later this year to cut down on account sharing. While Iger didn't provide details on the crackdown, he noted that Disney would benefit from the move in 2024.

The announcements came after Disney released its earnings for the fiscal third quarter that ended on July 1. The company reported substantial losses in both domestic and international markets, but acknowledged that problems in the Indian market played a large role.

Overall, the company reported a 4% increase in quarterly revenue, but saw a $460 million net loss from a year-earlier profit of $1.4 billion. Disney said its streaming services also lost about 300,000 subscribers from April through June, the same number it shed in the second fiscal quarter of this year.

Posted by Frank G 2023-08-10 10:22|| || Front Page|| [11134 views ] Top

#1 Don't use 'em anyway

Posted by DarthVader 2023-08-10 10:59|| 2023-08-10 10:59|| Front Page Top

#2 Already got hammered for HULU.
Dropped it.

Posted by Skidmark 2023-08-10 11:25|| 2023-08-10 11:25|| Front Page Top

#3 ...We don't have cable - ditched it ten years ago - and do strictly streaming. Even with the increases, we're still considerably cheaper than local cable. It's Spectrum here, and although they regularly spam me with ridiculous offers - as low as $17/mo - the terms and conditions are frankly insulting and once the offer expires, you're paying north of $175 for a decent cable tier.

Now, eventually somebody's going to realize just how much is being lost to streamers and the gravy train's gonna get derailed big time, but until then we're happy.

Disney+ is really kind of testing our patience, however. The Star Wars series have varied wildly in quality - The Mandalorian has been consistently great, but Boba Fett was okay at best, Kenobi should have been a lot better, and Andor was a snooze fest. Waiting to see on Ashoka.) And honestly, there's not a whole hell of a lot on there worth watching - the Marvel series have crashed, and the original series haven't been good (I'm looking at you, Willow.)

Mike

Posted by MikeKozlowski 2023-08-10 13:23|| 2023-08-10 13:23|| Front Page Top

#4 Streaming amuses me. I get the idea that asynchronous viewing makes great sense. The pricing is approaching cable territory now as streaming becomes the big dog while cable TV is on the wane. One thing streaming is not, is green. This is no problem if A) Green does not matter to you (I certainly don't care) or B) You are a hip young kiddie and "kewel" trumps "green" every time (that's called hypocrisy, just sayin') As a hard-core capitalist, I say bring it, just don't try to sell it as anything it isn't.

Full disclosure: I subscribe to no streaming services or cable TeeVee. I do prowl flea markets for DVDs of classic movies that I rip to my NAS and enjoy ever after on my terms. I take the discs I'm done with back to the flea market and trade 'em for others. I do not violate copyrights by sharing the files around.

Posted by M. Murcek 2023-08-10 13:34|| 2023-08-10 13:34|| Front Page Top

#5 It will be interesting to see whether the subscriptions tank enough for the increase to achieve a net loss. Disney announced the closing of the Star Cruiser Hotel and will be taking some kind of huge $1B to $4B write-off for it at some point. I have heard that they are likely to leverage the writers strike to cancel projects that look like losers. To me it looks like Anheiser Bus, a company seeking to make its customers more selective.

Posted by Super Hose 2023-08-10 14:16|| 2023-08-10 14:16|| Front Page Top

#6 Problematic, perhaps, but anyone near a big pvblic library system is probably paying for it anyway. Can't abide Kanopy but have been amazed, spot-checking catalogs around the country, at range of dvds available.

Each day at the gate of the camp
An underweight Untermensch tramp
Applies to the cook
And the guards for a book
Or a film mag to borrow
And bring back tomorrow...
"Zu work on mein German!"
"Du scamp!"

Posted by Spaiter Darling of the Pixies4165 2023-08-10 20:18|| 2023-08-10 20:18|| Front Page Top

#7 :-)

Posted by trailing wife 2023-08-10 21:20|| 2023-08-10 21:20|| Front Page Top

22:21 Seeking Cure For Ignorance
21:10 newc
20:17 SteveS
18:44 magpie
18:33 Frank G
18:33 badanov
18:26 Hellfish
18:23 Hellfish
17:40 swksvolFF
17:34 Ebbuger Whuque4103
17:30 Ebbuger Whuque4103
17:02 Melancholic
16:27 Gravilet Snanter4154
16:20 Chaise Speaking for Boskone7897
16:02 Skidmark
16:01 Skidmark
15:46 Skidmark
15:41 Skidmark
15:37 swksvolFF
15:36 Skidmark
15:34 Skidmark
15:27 Skidmark
14:48 NoMoreBS
14:31 NoMoreBS