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

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Hylian

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.
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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]
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Jay

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.
 
DarkAudit

DarkAudit

Hulu is dead to me

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

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...
 
Bowielee

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.
 
Charlie Don't Surf

Charlie Don't Surf

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...
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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.
 
Covar

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...
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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]

Not to mention the availability of the DVR in the large majority (all?) of cable boxes.
 
ElJuski

ElJuski

Staff member
Hulu is dead to me

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

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...
Click to expand...
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.
 
SpecialKO

SpecialKO

Hulu is dead to me

ElJuski said:
Ooh ooh and how you can watch these shows on respective network websites as well!
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It depends on the show. At least USA (the network, not the country :p) 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.
 
Espy

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?
 
SpecialKO

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?
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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.
 
AshburnerX

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.
 
DarkAudit

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.
 
MindDetective

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.
 
Charlie Don't Surf

Charlie Don't Surf

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

figmentPez

Staff member
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.
 
Bowielee

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.
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I agree with this.
 
E

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.
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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.
 
D

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
 
Hylian

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.
Click to expand...




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.
 
Rob King

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.
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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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