Hulu could require a cable subscription eventually: In which content providers are so short-sighted that they can’t see what’s in front of them. Note the update on this post, reportedly from a source at Hulu speaking off the record:
Update: We just talked to a source close to Hulu. According to our source, Hulu and its content providers have talked about this move toward authentication since 2009. Our source noted that Hulu has no interest in being a first mover here and that a requirement for authentication is likely still a few years out. Hulu, however, does want to be a good partner and may have to give in to its partners’ pressure soon or later. Even though an authentication requirement isn’t likely to happen right away, though, our source notes that what could happen relatively soon is that the content providers could require longer delays before their shows become available on the service for non-subscribers. Cable subscribers, under this model, would get access to a show on Hulu the next day, while non-subscribers would have to wait at least 30 days. This model would likely also apply to Hulu Plus subscribers.
So, who’s worse? Big cable companies or phone companies?
legospaceship asks: Don’t you think it’s a non issue, ultimately? Can you see the core of their streaming business going anywhere? I don’t see any other folks in the space being able to rise up and challenge them right now unless i am missing something.
» SFB says: I wouldn’t be so sure it’s a complete non-issue. This isn’t to say they’re going away anytime soon, but they’ve lost nearly three quarters of their market value in just a few months — that could lead to a change at the top. They’ve hurt their customer relations pretty severely in that time, and while they can get it back eventually, they’re starting fo face more difficult factors which could hurt their business over time. The costs for their streaming business are rising. There’s a chance they’ll see some significant competition in the next year or two (Dish Network and Hulu are each currently in the midst of an upswing, and Dish has content deals comparable to Netflix, including the Starz deal Netflix is losing). The real question is, can they bounce back? — Ernie @ SFB
To ease you guys out of debate mode, here’s an episode of Morgan Spurlock’s self-explanatory new Hulu series, “A Day in the Life.” It’s on Girl Talk, who wraps his laptops in Saran Wrap before the show. We like Morgan Spurlock. We like Girl Talk. We like Saran Wrap. It’s a match made in heaven.
Fox has become the first broadcast network to require people who want to go online — at sites such as Hulu — and watch programs immediately after they’re broadcast to prove they already pay for a cable or satellite service, Ben Fritz reports.
Photo: Actor Hugh Laurie in the Fox TV series “House.” Credit: Adam Taylor / Fox
Today in things that totally suck and will backfire and ensure a steady stream of BitTorrent action.
» We don’t know how to feel about this: While we appreciate the fact that Google might make “The Daily Show” happen on YouTube with a buyout like this (though Viacom has pulled their shows from Hulu in the past), if it actually happens, it runs directly into a wall of regulatory scrutiny — as Google’s been feeling the heat lately. While YouTube and Hulu aren’t the only games in town (hi Netflix and Vimeo), together they’re big enough that it would deserve some regulatory scrutiny if it actually happens.
» Will this be enough? It’s too early to tell, but the Justice Department’s restrictions on Hulu essentially put Comcast in a position of wanting Hulu to succeed, because they won’t be able to sabotage it directly, but their money is still backing it. Comcast’s Executive Vice President David Cohen put it like so: “We continue to have an interest in the growth and advancement of Hulu …and we obviously prefer to maintain our ownership position and our partnership with our content.” Let’s see if this is what actually happens. (thanks popculturebrain)
You can’t be serious. it’s like you’re hiding this. Banksy’s “Simpsons” couch sequence has been the talk of the Web all day. It packs a visceral effect that wears off after the first time, but it mainly works because it’s so out of left field – even for the Simpsons. Anyway, the video that everyone was linking from a YouTube channel called “banksyfilm” – you know, Banksy’s own account. Now it’s been taken down for copyright reasons and people have been told to watch it on Hulu, which, besides the country restrictions, is annoying because they initially didn’t even have the Banksy intro pulled out as a clip. The effect feels akin to censorship, considering the very viral subject matter can no longer be viewed in Asia. (Fortunately, we found another version.) source
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