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Hulu is dead to me (UPDATE 10/30/09)

Oct 26, 2009#1

Hylian

http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2009/10/28/will-hulu-stop-being-free-in-a-word-no/

Contrary to widespread web reports, the wildly popular TV and movies streaming website Hulu is not planning to start charging for all its content — although you would certainly be forgiven for thinking so. On Oct. 21, a high-ranking exec. at News Corp., which owns Hulu along with NBC Universal and Disney, told a trade conference that “a free model is a very difficult way to capture the value of [Hulu’s] content,” positing that the site could start charging as early as 2010. That was enough to get the web all Twitterpated about Hulu’s entire beloved catalog falling behind a dreaded paywall.
A source close to Hulu, however, tells EW that the site remains steadfastly committed to free content, explaining that any possible subscription or pay-per-view service has no set timeline and would only build upon what Hulu offers, not replace it. Of course, this isn’t the first time an executive from News Corp. (like, say, chairman Rupert Murdoch) has openly speculated about getting people to pay for at least some stuff on Hulu — and why wouldn’t they? Media companies were built in the 20th century by collecting money from a variety of sources and audiences — ads on broadcast TV, box office ticket sales, premium cable subscription fees, DVD purchases — so it makes sense that they would pursue the same strategy for the 21st century. Of course, given how swiftly the web masses react to even a hint that they’d actually have to pay for something on the internet, pretty much any venture in that direction in this brave, new, digital-only world is going to be an exercise in taking a step onto a vast sheet of ice and hoping it doesn’t crack wide open.

Ok well I feel a little bit better but I will still won;t feel better till I see if they take all of the good free content and start calling it premium and charging for it.

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http://lifehacker.com/5388571/hulu-officially-charging-for-content-in-2010

Hulu Officially Charging for Content in 2010

Bad news if you like free stuff: In 2010, the popular ad-supported streaming video site Hulu will officially begin charging for content.
We've heard rumors about this before, and while about 17% of you said you'd consider paying for Hulu if it was reasonable, the vast majority were completely against the idea (40% said you just head back to BitTorrent).
So far it sounds like Hulu will still keep some content outside of the pay wall, but, as Gizmodo points out, the quote from News Corp isn't promising:
It's time to start getting paid for broadcast content online. I think a free model is a very difficult way to capture the value of our content. I think what we need to do is deliver that content to consumers in a way where they will appreciate the value. Hulu concurs with that, it needs to evolve to have a meaningful subscription model as part of its business

Specifically, saying users will need to pay for broadcast content worries us—you know, the non-premium content that already comes for free over the airwaves. We'll see where this ends up next year, but in the meantime, it looks like it could spell trouble for Hulu lovers.
Chase Carey: Hulu to Charge in 2010 [Broadcasting & Cable via Gizmodo]

Oct 26, 2009#2

Shegokigo

Hulu is dead to me

Yeah. No. :humph:

Oct 26, 2009#3

Jay

Hulu is dead to me

They were dead for me a long time ago when they decided not to make the content available to my country. Dimwits.

Oct 26, 2009#4

DarkAudit

Hulu is dead to me

I'll believe it once Hulu execs not connected to News Corp. start making similar announcements.

Oct 26, 2009#5

Frankie Williamson

Hulu is dead to me

SeriousJay said:
They were dead for me a long time ago when they decided not to make the content available to my country. Dimwits.

High five.

Oct 26, 2009#6

sixpackshaker

Hulu is dead to me

So they are going to charge me to watch a freely broadcast program? When the reason I miss these programs are their idiotic schedules...

Oct 26, 2009#7

Bowielee

Hulu is dead to me

1) I still don't see anything near official on this at all.

2) For those outside the US... get over it. I'm just as blocked from your programming as you are from mine, so quit whining about it.

Oct 26, 2009#8

The Lovely Boehner

Hulu is dead to me

sixpackshaker said:
So they are going to charge me to watch a freely broadcast program? When the reason I miss these programs are their idiotic schedules...

Oct 26, 2009#9

Gusto

Hulu is dead to me

Frankie;283629][quote=SeriousJay said:
They were dead for me a long time ago when they decided not to make the content available to my country. Dimwits.

High five.[/QUOTE]

Yeah they were dead to me already.

Oct 26, 2009#10

Covar

Hulu is dead to me

Charlie Dont Surf;283637][quote=sixpackshaker said:
So they are going to charge me to watch a freely broadcast program? When the reason I miss these programs are their idiotic schedules...

Oct 26, 2009#11

ElJuski

Hulu is dead to me

Ooh ooh and how you can watch these shows on respective network websites as well!

Oct 26, 2009#12

sixpackshaker

Hulu is dead to me

Charlie Dont Surf;283637][quote=sixpackshaker said:
So they are going to charge me to watch a freely broadcast program? When the reason I miss these programs are their idiotic schedules...

Yes, they charge to watch freely broadcast programs on demand. That's how DVDs work, too. What's so idiotic about TV schedules? I'm pretty sure it's called "primetime" because it's when most people are available to watch TV. They're not idiotic.[/QUOTE]

Moving successful shows several times a season or even moving to a new night and time between seasons... Putting on shows pointed at 18-35 year olds on Friday and Saturday nights when young people tend to go out, or taking a minor hit show and moving it against a ratings juggernaut... are idiotic moves. It has happened too many times to count.

Now I have 3 shows that I used to watch are on Friday nights at 7 now. Last season one was Wednesday, one Thursday, and one on Friday. I can only DVR 2 of them.

Oct 26, 2009#13

SpecialKO

Hulu is dead to me

ElJuski said:
Ooh ooh and how you can watch these shows on respective network websites as well!

It depends on the show. At least USA (the network, not the country

) restricts what you can watch to match what is available on Hulu.

I still don't see what there is to get worked up about when they've posted no specifics.

Big difference between a $5/month, no ads, high quality streaming subscription, and a $20/month, with ads, chugs like a motherf&^%er when streaming at higher than 360p subscription.

Oct 26, 2009#14

twitchmoss

Hulu is dead to me

thank god for BBC iplayer. though i think i heard some idiot spouting on about how they need to start charging for it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8270663.stm

there it is. nevermind that the license fee means we *already* pay for it.

Oct 26, 2009#15

drawn_inward

Hulu is dead to me

Boo. I'm not paying that. I'll say adios if it happens.

Oct 26, 2009#16

Espy

Hulu is dead to me

If it had zero ads? I might pay a few bucks a month. If they still have ads? Heh. Good luck with that you greedy bastards.

How about just adding a few more ads?

Oct 26, 2009#17

SpecialKO

Hulu is dead to me

Espy said:
If it had zero ads? I might pay a few bucks a month. If they still have ads? Heh. Good luck with that you greedy bastards.

How about just adding a few more ads?

They're probably having trouble selling it at the price they want, and they'd rather go for a subscription model than sell ads at remnant prices.

Oct 26, 2009#18

AshburnerX

Hulu is dead to me

Hulu is only successful because it's free. Once they start charging, everyone will go back to torrenting their favorite shows... and there is not a god damn thing they can do about it, because taping broadcasted shows is already legal. Way to shoot yourselves in the foot, morons.

Oct 26, 2009#19

Krisken

Hulu is dead to me

Well, that was fun while it lasted.

Oct 26, 2009#20

DarkAudit

Hulu is dead to me

So what had the folks from NBC or ABC had to say about this? The only noise about charging for content has been from News Corp. on behalf of Fox.

Oct 26, 2009#21

MindDetective

Hulu is dead to me

Heck, I don't even watch it as it already is, let alone paying for it. Charge all they want, I guess. If they can get customers to pay, more power to them.

Oct 26, 2009#22

The Lovely Boehner

Hulu is dead to me

AshburnerX said:
Hulu is only successful because it's free. Once they start charging, everyone will go back to torrenting their favorite shows... and there is not a god damn thing they can do about it, because taping broadcasted shows is already legal. Way to shoot yourselves in the foot, morons.

Taping broadcast TV for yourself is legal, but cutting out the commercials and distributing it is illegal.

Oct 26, 2009#23

figmentPez

Hulu is dead to me

Keep in mind that Hulu hasn't said what they'll be charging for, despite rumors about paid content for a while. It is possible that Hulu will start charing for content, but what they charge for won't be anything they currently offer on their site. They could start offering a wider selection of paid movies, or offer paid access to archives of currently running shows, instead of just the most recent few episodes. It might be pay-for-HD, while SD remains free. They might start charging for a portable app, downloading shows for viewing on the go.

I don't think it's time to start taking doom and gloom just yet.

Oct 26, 2009#24

Bowielee

Hulu is dead to me

figmentPez said:
Keep in mind that Hulu hasn't said what they'll be charging for, despite rumors about paid content for a while. It is possible that Hulu will start charing for content, but what they charge for won't be anything they currently offer on their site. They could start offering a wider selection of paid movies, or offer paid access to archives of currently running shows, instead of just the most recent few episodes. It might be pay-for-HD, while SD remains free. They might start charging for a portable app, downloading shows for viewing on the go.

I don't think it's time to start taking doom and gloom just yet.

I agree with this.

Oct 26, 2009#25

elph

Hulu is dead to me

Bowielee;283905][quote=figmentPez said:
Keep in mind that Hulu hasn't said what they'll be charging for, despite rumors about paid content for a while. It is possible that Hulu will start charing for content, but what they charge for won't be anything they currently offer on their site. They could start offering a wider selection of paid movies, or offer paid access to archives of currently running shows, instead of just the most recent few episodes. It might be pay-for-HD, while SD remains free. They might start charging for a portable app, downloading shows for viewing on the go.

I don't think it's time to start taking doom and gloom just yet.

I agree with this.[/QUOTE]

I too agree with this.

We recently got a DVR with our box so all the shows I used to watch on Hulu because I typically missed them the night before or had to choose between are covered. Prime time is right when I'm getting the kids to bed and finishing up minor household tasks so I miss a lot that start at 8.

Oct 27, 2009#26

Wahad

Hulu is dead to me

SeriousJay said:
They were dead for me a long time ago when they decided not to make the content available to my country. Dimwits.

This.

Oct 27, 2009#27

Dusty668

Hulu is dead to me

Well for all you dead Hululites, there will be Netflix download only movie service which will NOT be available in the US, which country will it be in? Dunno good luck.

Linky goodness

Oct 30, 2009#28

Hylian

*UPDATE*

http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2009/...-in-a-word-no/

Contrary to widespread web reports, the wildly popular TV and movies streaming website Hulu is not planning to start charging for all its content — although you would certainly be forgiven for thinking so. On Oct. 21, a high-ranking exec. at News Corp., which owns Hulu along with NBC Universal and Disney, told a trade conference that “a free model is a very difficult way to capture the value of [Hulu’s] content,” positing that the site could start charging as early as 2010. That was enough to get the web all Twitterpated about Hulu’s entire beloved catalog falling behind a dreaded paywall.
A source close to Hulu, however, tells EW that the site remains steadfastly committed to free content, explaining that any possible subscription or pay-per-view service has no set timeline and would only build upon what Hulu offers, not replace it. Of course, this isn’t the first time an executive from News Corp. (like, say, chairman Rupert Murdoch) has openly speculated about getting people to pay for at least some stuff on Hulu — and why wouldn’t they? Media companies were built in the 20th century by collecting money from a variety of sources and audiences — ads on broadcast TV, box office ticket sales, premium cable subscription fees, DVD purchases — so it makes sense that they would pursue the same strategy for the 21st century. Of course, given how swiftly the web masses react to even a hint that they’d actually have to pay for something on the internet, pretty much any venture in that direction in this brave, new, digital-only world is going to be an exercise in taking a step onto a vast sheet of ice and hoping it doesn’t crack wide open.

Ok well I feel a little bit better but I will still won;t feel better till I see if they take all of the good free content and start calling it premium and charging for it.

Dec 3, 2009#29

DarkAudit

What did I say about it all being some News Corp. flack speaking out of turn?

Comcast COO says Hulu Premium "not in the cards".

Remember, News Corp. does not speak for everyone. Just because Murdoch is an evil, greedy fuck, it doesn't mean that suddenly everyone is going to start charging for content.

Dec 3, 2009#30

Rob King

Hulu is dead to me

Bowielee said:
1) I still don't see anything near official on this at all.

2) For those outside the US... get over it. I'm just as blocked from your programming as you are from mine, so quit whining about it.

Listen. Even if I was able to get all your content and you were blocked from mine, I'd still be unimpressed by the situation. I understand why they restrict content like that, but it does seem contrary to the ubiquitous nature of the internet. Content should not be dictated by geopolitical borders.

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