Bob Iger Accidentally Reveals Disney+ Subscriber Breakdown
After five decades in Hollywood, Disney CEO Bob Iger is pretty much as polished as they come.
A Wall Street beau for his straightforward attitude and ability to communicate, Disney earnings presentations have often seemed second-hand to Iger, who can push forth the narrative that Disney wants while engaging with investors.
Bob Iger
It is Iger’s experience and renown that made a “hot mic” moment during Disney’s fiscal fourth-quarter earnings call this morning so remarkable.
Iger’s Gaffe
When fielding questions from investors about Disney+’s growth and pricing strategy, Iger revealed that 37% of subscribers have opted for the ad-supported version of the streaming service. He said 30% globally subscribe to the ad-supported tier.
Photo: Disney
While the information is not overly surprising at face value, it was unusual that Iger revealed the exact percentages. Previously, Disney, like other big streamers, has kept that information internal.
Families Streaming Disney+
“It’s not just about raising pricing. It’s about moving consumers to the advertiser-supported side of the streaming platform. Right now, in the United States, about 60% of all new subs are buying our streaming services advertising-supported, or AVOD. Right now, I think it’s 37% of total subs in the U.S. are AVOD subs. 37% in the U.S. and 30% globally,” Iger explained.
“So, the pricing that we recently put into place, which is increased pricing, was actually designed to move more people in the AVOD direction because we know that the ARPU [average revenue per user] – and the interest from advertisers in streaming – has grown.”
The Moment Went Uncommented On
When the question-and-answer segment moved on to the next question, which was answered by CFO Hugh Johnston, Iger could be heard saying, “I don’t know if I was supposed to disclose those AVOD numbers.”
Iger’s unscripted revelation was not commented on for the rest of the call.
NBC News
While the gaffe is ultimately inconsequential, it was an interesting moment nonetheless.
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