Iger Issues PSA To “Prepare Parents” for Content Coming to Disney+ Platform

For the millions of families who subscribe to Disney+, the streaming platform is the perfect place to experience wholesome, family-friendly content. Many parents love the security that their children can scroll and view content without the worries of them stumbling upon something that is inappropriate or violent on accident.

However, that reputation is about to change. With the announcement of Disney’s purchase of the Hulu streaming platform, the doors have just been opened, and a flood of new, R-rated content is heading for Disney.

Disney+ and Hulu’s merger has paved the way for an exciting development in the streaming landscape. In an effort to expand its content offerings, The Walt Disney Company has purchased Hulu. Hulu is known for its incredible range of films and shows, including many that are originals of the platform. Many of these shows and movies are more mature, specifically Hulu hits like American Horror Story. This move will undoubtedly bring a new dimension to the streaming experience and cater to a broader audience, but there are also concerns that it will alienate the current audience of the Disney+ platform.

While many fans will be thrilled to experience all of the new content this merger will provide, others may not be thrilled to see Disney+ stray so far from its family-friendly landscape. As the visionary behind this strategic merger, Disney CEO Bob Iger aims to ensure that families are prepared for the upcoming changes. To this end, Iger has issued a public service announcement, urging parents to brace themselves for the arrival of this edgier content. He believes that the forthcoming beta launch of a unified Hulu-Disney+ app in the following month will allow families to gradually adjust to this new facet of the platform, specifically when it comes to implementing parent control settings.

Iger says, “We are basically putting it in beta so that we can prepare parents, largely, to basically implement parental controls, because you’ll be able to access Hulu programming on the same app.” 

However, despite Iger’s efforts to provide a heads-up, concerns have been raised by some parents. They worry about the inadvertent exposure of such content to impressionable young children who may not be ready for it. The integration of this content directly into their existing Disney+ account might catch them off guard.

With the merger of Disney+ and Hulu, viewers can expect a diverse range of content that goes beyond the traditional family-friendly offerings. This expansion will grant subscribers access to an extensive library of R-rated movies and TV shows, providing a balanced blend of entertainment for viewers of all ages.

It is worth noting that the inclusion of this “spicy” content on the Disney+ platform is a logical progression for the company. By consolidating its resources and leveraging the extensive general entertainment content from Hulu, Disney aims to create a unified streaming experience, capturing a greater audience engagement and unlocking new opportunities for growth.

mickey mouse in front of disney plus

As the beta launch approaches, excitement builds among subscribers who eagerly anticipate the transformation of their streaming experience. The merger between Disney+ and Hulu represents a significant milestone in the streaming industry, solidifying Disney’s status as a dominant player in the market.

Disney Makes High-Stakes Hulu Gamble

Amid ongoing criticism and profitability challenges with its streaming services, The Walt Disney Company has taken a bold but expected step by announcing its acquisition of Comcast Corporation’s NBC Universal’s 33% stake in Hulu, LLC.

The move has solidified Disney’s commitment to turning its fortunes around in the cutthroat streaming industry, even as critics question the sustainability of its endeavors.

Disney’s journey into the streaming landscape has been well-documented, marked by the launch of Disney+ and its existing ownership of Hulu. However, the financial results from these services have fallen short of expectations. Yet, the company’s decision to fully control Hulu suggests a deeper strategy is at play.

The deal has been valued at around $8.61 billion. This shows that Disney is still determined to become a strong player in the streaming market and believes in Hulu’s potential.

The $8.61 billion represents the share of the total value of Hulu. When Disney and Comcast made their deal in 2019, they agreed that Hulu was worth at least $27.5 billion. Comcast’s share of that amount, minus some money they owe Disney, adds up to $8.61 billion.

To ensure this price is fair, an evaluation of Hulu’s value will be done as of September 30, 2023. If the evaluated value exceeds the agreed $27.5 billion, Disney will pay Comcast the extra amount. The exact timing for this evaluation isn’t known yet, but it’s expected to happen in 2024.

It is no secret that Disney’s streaming services, Disney+ and Hulu, have struggled to turn a significant profit. High content production costs and intense competition have contributed to the financial challenges.

Furthermore, the company has oversaturated its audience with too much content that critics say lacks quality. However, Disney’s response has been to double down on its streaming efforts.

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One of the most notable aspects of Disney’s recent streaming strategy has been its introduction of several major price hikes to the cost of its streaming subscriptions.

Disney+ initially entered the market with a competitive pricing structure, attracting subscribers with its vast library of beloved content. However, the company has since implemented multiple price increases.

Disney’s move to raise subscription prices on Disney+ hasn’t been met with enthusiasm. This is especially true as CEO Bob Iger indicated less content in the pipeline for popular franchises like Marvel and Star Wars to improve quality.

While these price hikes have drawn criticism from all quarters, Disney seems unfazed and determined to continue its pricing trajectory.

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In the face of streaming losses, Disney’s strategic vision revolves around harnessing its current assets. By gaining full control of Hulu, Disney secures creative and operational authority over the platform.

The company can fully integrate Hulu’s assets into its broader streaming strategy, optimizing content production, advertising opportunities, and service bundling.

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This acquisition isn’t just about immediate profitability; it’s about future-proofing Disney’s streaming ecosystem. By owning Hulu outright, Disney is positioning itself to compete more effectively with industry giants like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV.

Critics may question Disney’s strategy and the subscription price hikes. Still, the company’s substantial investment in content creation, the acquisition of Hulu, and the introduction of ad-based tiers to its platforms indicate a long-term vision.

Disney’s willingness to invest further in its streaming future while adjusting pricing structures demonstrates its resolve to thrive in the competitive streaming market. It remains to be seen if it can actually fulfill these desires via this Disney Hulu purchase.

Walt Disney Company Picks Up 102 Daytime Emmy Nominations

Kudos to the Walt Disney Company! They have received 102 daytime Emmy nominations which is no small feat. The 47th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards has nominated the Walt Disney Company across many platforms from talk shows like The View, to cable networks like Disney Junior, and ABC’s daytime drama General Hospital. Check out all the details and nominations below as shared by The Walt Disney Company. Catch the award show in a two-hour special airing on Friday, June 26.

The Walt Disney Company’s networks and brands combined to earn a total of 102 nominations for the 47th Annual Daytime Emmy® Awards. ABC’s daytime drama General Hospital received 23 nods, the most received by any program this year, and overall the network has 38 nominations in all. The View was the most-nominated talk show this year with eight nominations. Now in its 23rd season, The View received the most nominations since its eleventh season.

Among cable networks, Disney Junior was the most-nominated cable network, with 25 nominations, including seven for the animated preschool series Elena of Avalor; followed by Disney Channel, with 23 nominations, including seven for Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure.

The streaming service Hulu received seven Daytime Emmy Award nominations, including six for the series Light as a Feather.

Additionally, syndicated series Live with Kelly and Ryan and Tamron Hall also earned multiple nods.

National Geographic earned a nomination in the Outstanding Special Class—Short Form Daytime Program category for Rewind Nature.

The awards will be presented in a two-hour special airing Friday, June 26. Awards will be presented in leading categories during the telecast, with recipients and other special guests appearing from their homes. Visit TheEmmys.tv for additional details.

Here is the complete list of nominees from across The Walt Disney Company’s portfolio of brands:

WALT DISNEY TELEVISION

ABC

General Hospital (23 nominations)

  • Outstanding Drama Series
  • Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Finola Hughes
  • Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Maura West
  • Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Steve Burton
  • Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Jon Lindstrom
  • Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Tamara Braun
  • Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Rebecca Budig
  • Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: James Patrick Stuart
  • Outstanding Young Performer in a Drama Series: Katelyn MacMullen
  • Outstanding Young Performer in a Drama Series: Eden McCoy
  • Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series: Michael E. Knight
  • Outstanding Writing Team for a Drama Series
  • Outstanding Directing Team for a Drama Series
  • Outstanding Original Song: “North Star”
  • Outstanding Casting for a Drama or Digital Drama Series
  • Outstanding Lighting Direction for a Drama or Digital Series
  • Outstanding Technical Team for a Drama Series
  • Outstanding Multiple Camera Editing for a Drama or Digital Drama Series
  • Outstanding Live and Direct to Tape Sound Mixing for a Drama Series
  • Outstanding Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design for a Drama or Digital Drama Series
  • Outstanding Costume Design for a Drama or Digital Drama Series
  • Outstanding Hair Styling for a Drama Series
  • Outstanding Makeup for a Drama Series

The View (8 nominations)

  • Outstanding Informative Talk Show
  • Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host: Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, Meghan McCain, Abby Huntsman & Ana Navarro
  • Outstanding Lighting Direction
  • Outstanding Technical Team
  • Outstanding Multiple Camera Editing
  • Outstanding Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design
  • Outstanding Hair Styling
  • Outstanding Makeup

GMA3 Strahan, Sara & Keke (3 nominations)

  • Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show
  • Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host: Michael Strahan, Sara Haines & Keke Palmer
  • Outstanding Directing for a Talk, Entertainment News or Morning Program

Good Morning America (2 nominations)

  • Outstanding Morning Show
  • Outstanding Directing for a Talk, Entertainment News or Morning Program

Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade

  • Outstanding Technical Team

Disney Team of Heroes (ABC)

  • Outstanding Daytime Promotional Announcement—Brand Image Campaign—Network or Program

DISNEY JUNIOR

Elena of Avalor (7 nominations)

  • Outstanding Writing Team for a Preschool Animated Program
  • Outstanding Directing for a Preschool Animated Program
  • Outstanding Music Direction and Composition
  • Outstanding Original Song in a Children’s, Young Adult or Animated Program: “Never Leave”
  • Outstanding Casting for an Animated Series or Special
  • Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Preschool Animated Program
  • Outstanding Sound Editing for a Preschool Animated Program

The Rocketeer (5 nominations)

  • Outstanding Performer in a Preschool Animated Program: Maurice LaMarche—The Rocketeer
  • Outstanding Writing Team for a Preschool Animated Program
  • Outstanding Main Title for an Animated Program
  • Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Preschool Animated Program
  • Outstanding Sound Editing for a Preschool Animated Program

Muppet Babies (3 nominations)

  • Outstanding Performer in a Preschool Animated Program: Eric Bauza
  • Outstanding Performer in a Preschool Animated Program: Matt Danner
  • Outstanding Directing for a Preschool Animated Program

Puppy Dog Pals (3 nominations)

  • Outstanding Performer in a Preschool Animated Program: Kevin Michael Richardson
  • Outstanding Casting for an Animated Series or Special
  • Outstanding Sound Editing for a Preschool Animated Program

Vampirina (2 nominations)

  • Outstanding Preschool Children’s Animated Series
  • Outstanding Original Song in a Children’s, Young Adult or Animated Program: “The Vamp Opera”

Doc McStuffins

  • Outstanding Preschool Children’s Animated Series

Elena of Avalor: The Magic Within

  • Outstanding Special Class Animated Program

The Lion Guard

  • Outstanding Original Song in a Children’s, Young Adult or Animated Program: “As You Move Forward”

Muppet Babies: Play Date

  • Outstanding Short Format Children’s Program

T.O.T.S.

  • Outstanding Performer in a Preschool Animated Program: Christian Simon

DISNEY CHANNEL

Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure (7 nominations)

  • Outstanding Writing for an Animated Program
  • Outstanding Directing for an Animated Program
  • Outstanding Music Direction and Composition
  • Outstanding Original Song in a Children’s, Young Adult or Animated Program: “Waiting in the Wings”
  • Outstanding Casting for an Animated Series or Special
  • Outstanding Main Title for an Animated Program
  • Outstanding Editing for an Animated Program

DuckTales (4 nominations)

  • Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program: Paget Brewster
  • Outstanding Writing for an Animated Program
  • Outstanding Editing for an Animated Program
  • Outstanding Sound Editing for an Animated Program

Big City Greens (3 nominations)

  • Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program: Marieve Herington
  • Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program: Chris Houghton
  • Outstanding Writing for an Animated Program

Big Hero 6 The Series (2 nominations)

  • Outstanding Writing for an Animated Program
  • Outstanding Original Song in a Children’s, Young Adult or Animated Program: “Gonna Go Good”

Disney Mickey Mouse (2 nominations)

  • Outstanding Directing for an Animated Program
  • Outstanding Editing for an Animated Program

Big City Greens: Green Christmas

  • Outstanding Special Class Animated Program

BUNK’D

  • Outstanding Children’s or Family Viewing Series

Milo Murphy’s Law

  • Outstanding Special Class Animated Program

Pup Academy

  • Outstanding Directing for a Children’s or Young Adult Program

Shook

  • Outstanding Young Adult Program: Shook

SYNDICATION

Live with Kelly and Ryan (4 nominations)

  • Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show
  • Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host: Kelly Ripa & Ryan Seacrest
  • Outstanding Directing for a Talk, Entertainment News or Morning Program
  • Outstanding Hair Styling

Tamron Hall (3 nominations)

  • Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host: Tamron Hall
  • Outstanding Costume Design/Styling
  • Outstanding Makeup

HULU

Light as a Feather (6 nominations)

  • Outstanding Young Adult Program
  • Outstanding Interactive Media for a Daytime Program
  • Outstanding Principal Performance in a Daytime Program: Liana Liberato
  • Outstanding Principal Performance in a Daytime Program: Jordan Rodrigues
  • Outstanding Principal Performance in a Daytime Program: Brianne Tju
  • Outstanding Directing for a Children’s or Young Adult Program

Holly Hobbie

  • Outstanding Children’s or Family Viewing Series

LUCASFILM

The Star Wars Show

  • Outstanding Daytime Promotional Announcement—Topical

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

Rewind Nature

  • Outstanding Special Class—Short Form Daytime Program

More Disney+ Service Details

According to The Streamable‘s Stephanie Sengwe, Disney+ will allow for up to four simultaneous streams on up to ten different devices.

This will allow for “family” and “extended family” to enjoy Disney+ from the same account, as Sengwe reports. In addition, Disney+ will also offer unlimited offline viewing on mobile and tablet devices, making this a very attractive service for families and those who travel.

Meanwhile, one of Disney+’s biggest competitors, Netflix, allows subscribers to register six different devices with two to four simultaneous streams, and Amazon Prime allows three simultaneous streams on three different devices. On the other end of the spectrum, Hulu, now also under Disney’s control, allows for unlimited devices to be registered, though it only allows for one stream at a time per account for on-demand programming. Hulu with Live TV allows for two streams at a time.

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Disney to Control Hulu!

Disney’s takeover of Hulu is just about complete.

Comcast on Tuesday agreed to sell its ownership stake in the streaming video service to Disney. The sale won’t happen for at least another five years, but Disney will take full operational control of Hulu right now.

Under the terms of the deal, Comcast will sell its interest to Disney for Hulu’s fair market value no earlier than 2024. Disney has guaranteed that the sale price will reflect a minimum total equity value of $27.5 billion for Hulu at that time, according to a press release.

“Hulu represents the best of television,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement, adding that the company is now able to “completely integrate” Hulu into its streaming plans in a way that makes the service “even more compelling and a greater value for consumers.”

Disney executives talked about potentially bundling its services together for a discounted price. They also said they want all of their services, including Hulu, to reach profitability within the next several years.

“Hulu is the third leg of Disney’s streaming strategy,” said Trip Miller, a Disney shareholder and managing partner at Gullane Capital Partners. “Six months ago, you had four owners to the business and it was very complicated and confusing — so this brings about a lot of clarity and control of direction for Disney.”

But Hulu is beefing up its original content offerings. Earlier this month, the streaming service showed off a slate of upcoming programs, including “The Dropout,” a limited series about rise and fall of Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes. It’s also working on two new live-action Marvel series, “Ghost Rider” and “Helstrom.”

Hulu is going to need more programming as it prepares to eventually part ways with NBC content. Right now, Hulu carries a lot of NBC shows, including “Saturday Night Live,” “The Voice” and “The Good Place.” Comcast has agreed with Hulu to extend the service’s license of NBCUniversal content through late 2024.