LONDON: Walt Disney’s streaming service will start cracking down on password-sharing from June, CEO Bob Iger said on Thursday, as the entertainment conglomerate looks to boost subscriber growth and make the business profitable.
Iger also signaled a need for consolidation in the streaming industry and said Disney was “eventually” looking at double-digit margins for the business, in a wide-ranging interview with CNBC.
Streaming rival Netflix’s password-sharing crackdown had helped it add nearly 22 million subscribers in the second half of 2023 and shatter Wall Street expectations.
Iger’s interview came just a day after Disney investors backed him and other company directors in a proxy battle with activist investors, including Nelson Peltz, who argued that the Mouse House had underperformed in the streaming-television era.
“The proxy vote was a decisive, true endorsement of the board,” he said, noting the company was taking the topic of CEO succession — a key concern of shareholders — “very seriously.”
The win strengthened Iger’s hand at a crucial time. Disney is trying to reinvigorate its film and television franchises, make its streaming unit profitable and find partners for building sports network ESPN’s digital future.
Meanwhile, in an interview with CNBC just minutes after Iger’s, Peltz said he hoped that the Disney CEO can keep his promises.
“If they do it, they won’t hear from me again,” Peltz said.
Iger also addressed criticism by billionaire Elon Musk, who backed Peltz and had lashed out against advertisers including Disney with a profanity-laced tirade in November for fleeing social media platform X on concerns over antisemitic content.
“I ignore it,” Iger said of Musk’s criticism.
Disney shares were up about 0.7 percent higher in morning trade. They have risen about 30 percent so far this year, making them the top performer on the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Iger said on Thursday that talks were going on for the strategic partner for ESPN.
Disney to start cracking down on password-sharing from June, CEO Iger says
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Disney to start cracking down on password-sharing from June, CEO Iger says
- Move aims to boost subscriber growth and make the business profitable
List Magazine launches The List Awards
RIYADH: Luxury travel and lifestyle magazine List has announced the launch of The List Awards, in association with Swiss watchmaker Richard Mille.
The List Awards are a first-of-its-kind recognition celebrating excellence across travel, wellness, culture, and fine dining in Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf region.
Winners will be officially announced in the Winter 2026 edition of the magazine and across its social and digital platforms.
The awards aim to define what world-class excellence looks and feels like in a new era of Saudi hospitality, creativity, and experience-driven living by recognizing establishments and cultural experiences shaping modern luxury in the region.
The selection process is not based on submissions, paid placements or public voting. Instead, List’s editorial team and a panel of independent judges personally experience each venue, brand or experience.
Each entry is then explored, debated, and verified against key criteria: originality, precision, consistency, and relevance to the modern Saudi traveller.
Nóirín Hegarty, List’s editor-in-chief, said: “Saudi Arabia is in the midst of an extraordinary cultural and creative transformation. The List Awards were born from a desire to recognise that energy and define what excellence truly looks like today.
“These awards are not about prestige for its own sake — they are about experience, authenticity, and intent. Every name on the list earned its place because it represents the best of the best and the future of luxury in the region and beyond.”
