Posted in: Disney, Disney+, Hulu, Hulu, Movies, TV | Tagged: bob iger, disney plus, hulu, SAG-AFTRA, streaming, wga

Disney+, Hulu Ad-Free Price Hikes; Bob Iger "Committed" to Strike End

Here's what you need to know about the Disney+ & Hulu price increases, a new bundle offering, Bob Iger's new SAG-AFTRA & WGA comments & more!

Some big news coming out of today's The Walt Disney Company earnings call from CEO Bob Iger when it comes to streaming and the respective SAG-AFTRA & WGA strikes. When it comes to the former, that news comes in the form of price increases beginning in October and a new ad-free Disney+ & Hulu bundle starting up in September. But before we get to that, some news for the folks in the UK, Canada, and select European markets. Beginning on November 1st, an ad-supported version of Disney+ will expand into those areas. The new ad-supported plans will start at £4.99/€5.99 per month in EMEA & $7.99/month in Canada. And for those of you who thought you could escape Netflix's anti-password-sharing initiatives by jumping over the "The Mouse"? Might be time to start looking for greener pastures to stream on because Iger confirmed that Disney is also looking to crack down on the practice.

Streaming Prices Are Going Up: Beginning October 12th, U.S. subscribers are going to face a $3/month increase if you're eyeing ad-free Disney+ & Hulu, a $1/month increase on ESPN+ (with ads), and a $10/year increase when it comes to UFC PPV & Annual. On the Bundle Offerings side, Trio Premium (ad-free Disney+, Hulu & ESPN+) will see a $5/month increase, while Trio Basic (Disney+, Hulu & ESPN+ with ads) subscribers will see 1 $2/month increase. As for Hulu+Live TV, ad-supported & ad-free services will each increase by $7/month. Here's a look at how it all breaks down:

New Bundle Alert: On September 6, viewers can choose the Duo Premium, which offers ad-free Disney+ and Hulu for $19.99/month. Here's a look at how the pricing changes are going to play out beginning next month and the month following:

Iger Changes His Strike Tone: Considering how poorly last month's efforts went, Iger took a much more "let me know what I can do to help" stance when addressing the SAG-AFTRA & WGA strikes.

Bob Iger in August 2023: "Nothing is more important to this company than its relationships with the creative community. That includes actors, writers, animators, directors, and producers. I have deep respect and appreciation for how vital they are to the extraordinary creative engine that drives this company and our industry. It is my fervent hope that we can quickly find solutions to the issues that have kept us apart these past few months. And I am personally committed to working toward this result."

Bob Iger in July 2023: "It's very disturbing to me. We've talked about disruptive forces on this business and all the challenges we're facing; the recovery from COVID, which is ongoing, it's not completely back. This is the worst time in the world to add to that disruption," Iger offered CNBC's David Faber during a morning edition of CNBC's Squawk Box from Idaho's Sun Valley Conference. "I understand any labor organization's desire to work on behalf of its members to get the most compensation and be compensated fairly based on the value that they deliver. We managed, as an industry, to negotiate a very good deal with the directors guild that reflects the value that the directors contribute to this great business. We wanted to do the same thing with the writers, and we'd like to do the same thing with the actors. There's a level of expectation that they have that is just not realistic. And they are adding to the set of the challenges that this business is already facing that is, quite frankly, very disruptive."

Iger went on to say that although he understands the unions looking for "as much as they possibly can in compensation for their people," he believes that writers and actors must "be realistic about the business environment, and what this business can deliver." The Disney CEO continued, "It will have a very, very damaging effect on the whole business, and unfortunately, there's huge collateral damage in the industry to people who are supportive services, and I could go on and on. It will affect the economy of different regions, even because of the sheer size of the business. It's a shame; it is really a shame."

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