Brooks Barnes, a New York Times staff reporter specializing in entertainment, joins to unpack Disney's recent financial struggles. They dive into the reasons behind declining park attendance and rising customer dissatisfaction due to price hikes. The conversation explores streaming profitability, expected price increases for Disney+ and Hulu, and Bob Iger's reputation among fans. They also tease the exciting developments anticipated at the upcoming D23 conference, alongside a discussion on the box office prospects for 'Borderlands' and 'It Ends With Us'.
Disney's streaming services have recently became profitable through strategic price hikes and bundling to address stagnating subscriber growth.
Customer dissatisfaction over price increases has led to decreasing profits from Disney parks, highlighting changing consumer demand and economic pressures.
Deep dives
The Impact of the Sony Pictures Hack
In the fall of 2014, a significant breach occurred when hackers infiltrated Sony Pictures' computer servers, leading to the release of hundreds of thousands of confidential documents. This unprecedented attack not only disrupted the film industry but also instigated an international incident that affected numerous lives. The fallout from the hack prompted heightened cybersecurity concerns across Hollywood and beyond, showcasing the vulnerabilities that even major corporations face in the digital age. The incident fundamentally altered the industry, forcing studios to reassess their security measures and data management practices.
Disney's Earnings Report Highlights
Disney's recent earnings report indicated a strong overall performance, with the company reporting a profit of $3 billion. Notably, CEO Bob Iger highlighted successful releases such as 'Inside Out 2' and 'Planet of the Apes', both contributing to the company's positive trajectory in the film sector. Additionally, after a period of losses, the streaming division, which includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+, finally reached profitability, although with modest figures. While the parks have been a substantial source of revenue, concerns arose regarding decreasing profits from that division, attributed to changing consumer demand and economic pressures.
Challenges and Changes in Streaming Strategy
Disney's streaming services have recently achieved profitability through strategic price increases and a focus on bundling subscriptions. However, despite this progress, subscriber growth appears stagnant, with only a slight increase observed in the most recent quarter. The company has directed attention towards retaining customers, addressing challenges like churn by promoting bundled offerings, which offer better value to subscribers. Yet, the ongoing negotiations surrounding Hulu's valuation and potential ownership costs present a complex challenge for Disney, adding stress to the overall streaming strategy as they navigate competition in the rapidly evolving media landscape.
Matt is joined by NYT staff reporter Brooks Barnes to discuss the latest Disney earnings report, which resulted in a drop in stock price after Disney reported a slowdown in Disney parks attendance. They talk about the state of the parks, including customer dissatisfaction with price hikes, Universal parks vs. Disney parks, and the upcoming D23 conference. They also discuss Disney's ability to reach profitability in streaming, incoming price hikes for Disney+ and Hulu, whether a looming recession could affect the next few quarters, and Bob Iger's perception among Disney fans (02:57). Matt finishes the show with a prediction on this weekend’s box office for ‘Borderlands' and 'It Ends with Us’ (26:04).
For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here.