BREAKING: Hulu Content to Be Integrated Into Disney+
The Walt Disney Company just released its earnings for the second quarter of this year. We usually get some exciting news during these earnings calls, and today is no different!
We’ve got some updated Disney+ and streaming numbers, and now we have some more streaming news!
Disney+ and Hulu Combining
Disney CEO Bob Iger just announced during today’s earnings call that Hulu content will begin to be integrated into Disney+ domestically. He went on to say later that the two services would be available in a single app.
Iger said they’re hopeful that making Hulu available with Disney+ as one app will increase engagement and also increase the opportunity for advertisements and growing Disney’s advertising business.
So, instead of having separate Hulu and Disney+ apps on your streaming device (like a Roku), it will all be found in one place. No more exiting out of one to get to the other!
This integrated app experience will ONLY be available to consumers subscribed to both Disney+ and Hulu for now, Iger said. So, it’s basically putting the dual bundle subscriber package into one experience.
Iger said that this is to benefit consumption and be more attractive to consumers due to it being a bigger platform with more content. He referenced how Disney has already successfully done this outside of the U.S. with Star.
The Disney CEO also went on to say he’s “bullish” about a singular app that goes well beyond the Disney+ content and includes quality curated general entertainment for the purpose of growing advertising, subscriber fees, and engagement while reducing costs.
Iger said that the general goal is to have one experience that has both general entertainment and Disney+ content in one place. But, when asked about buying Hulu completely, he said a lot of how that comes about has to do with Comcast. Comcast does partially own Hulu right now.
Comcast does have the opportunity to sell its share of Hulu back to Disney in early 2024. However, Iger said that it hasn’t been determined what will happen with that. He said that they’ve had convos with Comcast and they’ve been constructive, but he still doesn’t know where they’ll end up.
Iger said that it just seems like there is a lot of real value to combine general entertainment with Disney+.
Excluded from this announcement was ESPN+, so it is staying separate for now.
Stay tuned for more Disney news and updates!