There are many rumors currently circulating about which streaming platforms are considering an ad-supported option in the near future. While many are still to confirm their plans, Disney CEO Bob Chapek has confirmed that Disney+ will be launching an advertisement-supported version within the U.S. by the end of this year and will follow that with an international launch sometime early in 2023, probably to coincide with the original international platform’s two year anniversary.
Chapek made the announcement about Disney+ plans as part of the quarterly earnings call on Wednesday, and according to the CEO, the new access plans will offer “multiple price points” that will be a “win for consumers and advertisers.” The Disney+ platform is currently at a reasonably low $7.99 a month already, so the ad-supported version will obviously lower the price further, although it has not yet been announced exactly how much.
The possibility of Disney+ offering an ad-supported option was originally mentioned earlier this year, but at the time, it was not known how much had been decided and when it was possibly going to arrive if Disney did decide to go ahead and offer multiple pricing options. Of course, Disney currently has different setups in the U.S. compared to those in the U.K. and many European countries. Disney is already running a tiered platform with Hulu in the U.S., while internationally, its Hulu content has been incorporated into the Disney+ app via their Star banner. While it is unlikely this will change for international markets, with Disney+ U.S. now adding parental controls, it could only be a matter of time before they streamline their other platforms under the Disney+ umbrella.
Disney Has Been Under Scrutiny Recently for its “Don’t Say Gay” Bill Stance
In March, Disney made a public stance about the Florida “Don’t Say Gay” bill after being heavily criticized for failing to previously have a stance on condemning the controversial bill.
“Florida’s HB 1557, also known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law,” the statement read. “Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that. We are dedicated to standing up for the rights and safety of LGBTQ+ members of the Disney family, as well as the LGBTQ+ community in Florida and across the country.”
While this was welcomed by many, even if it seemed to have come much later than some believed it should have, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis retorted to the company’s new stand by motioning a bill to strip away The Walt Disney Company’s unique status that allows it to be a self-governing district in and around its theme parks in Orlando. Subsequently, Senator Josh Hawley has recently attempted to have the copyright protection of the iconic Mickey Mouse stripped away in retaliation for Disney’s opposition to Florida’s new Parental Rights in Education bill.