April 27, 2024

Hulu Looks to Launch Internet TV Subscription Service

Posted May 2, 2016 at 1:44pm by iClarified · 12839 views
Hulu is working on an Internet TV subscription service that would rival traditional cable providers, reports the WSJ. The service would stream feeds of popular broadcast and cable TV channels.

The company hopes to launch the new cable TV-style online service in the first quarter of 2017, the people said. Walt Disney Co. and 21st Century Fox, which are co-owners of Hulu, are near agreements to license many of their channels for the platform.

It's believed that Disney’s ABC, ESPN and Disney Channel will be available on the service, as well as the Fox broadcast network, Fox News, FX and Fox’s national and regional sports channels.

Conversations with other programmers have also begun but Hulu isn't looking to offer all the hundreds of channels often found in cable bundles. Notably, Comcast's NBCUniversal is an owner in Hulu but it has yet to agree to license its networks for the service.

The cost of subscribing to Hulu's planned service is estimated at around $40 per month.

Apple has long been rumored to be working on a skinny bundle of TV channels for the new Apple TV; however, it's thus far been unable to reach licensing agreements that would allow it to keep retail prices attractive.

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