Rumor: Hulu To Require Paid TV Subscription Soon

[Greg Tito]

Rumor: Hulu To Require Paid TV Subscription Soon

Watching videos online at Hulu might require a paid TV subscription.

I cut the cord months ago. Cancelling my cable subscription has saved me hundreds of dollars paying for content that I did not watch. Using my Xbox 360, I am able to watch the TV and movies I do want to watch (like Sherlock and old TNG episodes) through Netflix and Hulu, although I do sometimes watch shows via Hulu on my desktop computer. According to anonymous sources close to the negotiations, NBC-Universal - owners of Hulu - are considering checking for a valid subscription to cable or satellite service before allowing anyone to watch "free" video on Hulu.

The push to require this authentication is driven by cable companies like Comcast and Time Warner Cable to make TV subscriptions more attractive - and to wring money from "cord-cutters" like me. What seems odd, is that Hulu reportedly made $420 million in ad revenue last year, and is poised to make more in 2012 as March saw 31 million people watch videos on Hulu.com.

If the authentication goes through, those people would be forced to pay money to watch content with advertising embedded. Those of us who watch Hulu Plus through Xbox 360 pay for the convenience of watching through a device, and the quick minute-long advertising breaks haven't annoyed me too much.

What's unclear, at least to me, is whether paying the $7.99 monthly fee for Hulu Plus would be affected by this switch to authentication. If so, I will be upset. Positively vexed.

Source: NY Post [http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/tv_in_real_dime_ph0GiKk7rC9agDUEkHae2I]

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[subtlefuge]

If Hulu accepts money or makes any concessions to the cable companies in exchange for this check, it's several types of illegal.

I'm calling complete BS on this.

 

[Zen Toombs]

Eh, Hulu Plus is several orders of magnitude worse than Netflix. Though I will accept free Hulu being fairly nice to watch current shows.

 

[KeyMaster45]

That's total and utter horseshit. If the cable companies were going to provide such a service themselves I would understand, but forcing that kind of bullshit onto other companies is really sleazy. Cable TV is going the way of the dinosaurs, and cable providers just need to come to terms with the fact their role in the future will be primarily as ISPs.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Be happy you get Hulu, and a decent Netflix. And the ability to use your paypal on iTunes. Since it doesn't affect me, being a dirty Canadian, I will laugh if a subscription charge is put on Hulu.

 

[fozzy360]

And just as I was about to consider doing the same as Mr. Tito. It's ridiculously stupid how much influence and push these cable companies have. If they require a valid subscription despite the fact that you're paying $8 a month for the service already, then that would be the single biggest bullshit event since...jeez, I don't know. I mean...I'm just kinda at a loss for words here.

 

[leahzero]

I canceled Hulu Plus after a month. Not enough content, and I STILL have to sit through commercials. Fuck that.

If they do this, they're just giving people one more reason to torrent.

I WANT to pay you money for content, you Big Evil Media Conglomerates, but you just keep giving me less for my dollar and making torrenting more tempting.

 

[Slycne]

That's fine. I got used to no longer having cable, I can get used to no longer watching Hulu.

 

[Eri]

And I will sit back and laugh as they hemorrhage money for doing such an idiotic thing.

 

[RvLeshrac]

If Hulu accepts money or makes any concessions to the cable companies in exchange for this check, it's several types of illegal.

I'm calling complete BS on this.

That's total and utter horseshit. If the cable companies were going to provide such a service themselves I would understand, but forcing that kind of bullshit onto other companies is really sleazy. Cable TV is going the way of the dinosaurs, and cable providers just need to come to terms with the fact their role in the future will be primarily as ISPs.

Hulu is *OWNED* by the cable and content providers. Cable and content providers are the ones who started the service in the first place.

They proceeded immediately to the "Let's destroy Hulu" phase, but still.

 

[Big_H]

If the authentication goes through, those people would be forced to pay money to watch content with advertising embedded.

They'd have another option though, one the cable companies would like even less. It starts with a 'P' and ends with an 'Iracy'.

Since Hulu and Netflix Instant came along I have not downloaded a single TV show (that I recall). Because why bother? I can get most everything I want on those two services. If they make Hulu fully pay-only with ads, well then nuts to them, I won't be getting a "cable sub" again (even if it is on more devices than just a TV), I'll just go back to downloading everything I can't find on Netflix.

I pay for Netflix and don't watch ads.
I watch ads and don't pay for Hulu.
I will no longer pay for TV shows AND watch ads. If cable companies are having problems with their business model, then they need to update their out-of-date business model.

To me it's a choice of getting some of my money though ad revenue, OR getting some of it through a sub fee (without ads), OR getting none at all (i.e. downloading). There are too many other media options out there to be double dipping into my wallet anymore.

 

[cjbos81]

If this happens, Hulu will quickly become superfluous my life.

 

[samsonguy920]

If Hulu accepts money or makes any concessions to the cable companies in exchange for this check, it's several types of illegal.

I'm calling complete BS on this.

No, it's not. That's called capitalism which is made legal by contracts and licenses. If you look at your corporate trees, you will see all the major cable companies either are owned by or have a stake in every major studio. There is no room for anything illegal when they own or are partnered to the service anyway. At least not until it approaches trust status. What us peons know more as a monopoly.

What pisses me off about these kinds of things is people will rage about it, but when it happens, they just pony up the dough and go through with kissing corporate ass.
I quit watching Hulu a long time ago because their service was spotty. At least two viewings were lost because the ad content basically overwrote the rest of the show on my end. And even though each break was just one ad long(though I think they were going to two ads by the time I called it quits), I swear there were more breaks than what you usually have to endure on cable.
Then, regardless whether NBC owned the show or not, there were extreme limitations to select shows on how long they stayed available. A week's duration doesn't work for someone who has more to do than rot brain cells watching tv. At least with cable you can tivo the show to watch when you get the time. Though apparently cable wants to change that, as well.
Even though Netflix has its own limitations to what it can show for tv shows(forced upon them by the license holders), it is still a better service than Hulu. I honestly am at a loss why people would choose to sacrifice so much for something so wasteful. When you really think about it, if you are paying for Hulu Plus and if all of Hulu goes to subscription or requires a cable subscription, you are paying for the privilege to watch commercials with breaks of reality tv or drama shows. That's it.
So let NBC do this. They can do it and they have every reason to do it. Why? Because they know not that many people will shrug it off and move on to something else.
I escaped that penitentiary a long time ago, but most of the rest of the inmates are too institutionalized to do anything about it. I wouldn't mind being surprised, though.

 

[Bobic]

Can I ask why the escapist reports rumors from 'anonymous sources'? I just don't get why 'some guy says . . .' is considered news.

 

[ice1985]

The TV companies just cannot stop screwing up their online distribution methods...

Let the dinosaurs go extinct, I say.

 

[subtlefuge]

snip

It is illegal. You ever wonder why there isn't more than one Hulu-like service, or why most areas only have one major cable provider, or those who have multiple providers only cover certain areas of the city?

Actions of companies do not dictate legality. Just because they have been getting away with illegal practices, doesn't mean that dividing digital territory is any more legal.

Captcha: know your rights

not even kidding

 

[antipunt]

Sits on the computer with Internet

??...

What's TV?

<__>