Hulu mulling $10 per month subscription service?

[Jos]

Hulu is reportedly on the verge of announcing a subscription plan for its streaming video service that would give users access to a greater range of content. Under the plan, the five most recent episodes of newer shows will remain free (ad-supported), but anyone who wants to access older episodes would have to pony up $10 per month for "Hulu Plus".

It's unclear whether the $10 subscription will let you watch an unlimited number of episodes from the site, and if advertising would still be displayed on the back catalogue episodes. The move to a subscription model isn't at all unexpected, but they'll probably have to offer something more than five-week old episodes for this to catch on. If you're able to stay on top of your favorite shows in a timely manner then you don't really need to sign up.

There are also rumors that Hulu might tie its subscription service with a new iPad application, but as Peter Kafka at MediaMemo notes their subscription aspirations could be significantly devalued by a free streaming video application from ABC already available on the App Store.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/38685-hulu-mulling-10-per-month-subscription-service.html

 

[Guest]

Shame on you Hulu. Im going back to Pirating if you start charging me $10.

 

[Badfinger]

I rarely use Hulu now, let alone if they tried adding fees, ridiculous idea, EPIC FAIL! (imo)

 

[Guest]

EPIC FAIL!?

Urgh hate that copy&paste phrase..

Anyway I live in Canada and if they do that over here (without ads) I'd subscribe.

 

[windmill007]

I think if they offer you something new and more...Like HD Content and no advertising plus ability to watch more episodes .. $10 really wouldn't be that bad of a deal.

 

[Guest]

The company's finally find a business model that works, fights privacy and still subject users to commercials... then they decide to charge which will just drive pirates away from any "paid" content to illegal means.

 

[Guest]

epic fail on badfinger part for not understanding what Hulu is trying to do. Hulu as you know it today would still be the same. They are going to add a service with more content possibly things like watching every episode from a show for $10. I really don't see how that is epic fail it is still the same service to the free user. I know I won't be paying $10 but if you aren't a pirate this is a pretty good deal considering how much cable is plus how much most cable companies charge for DVR.

 

[Relic]

The possibilities are almost endless here if they do it right like having no advertisement, multiple seasons of shows, steaming to consoles, addition of new and HD content. And I for one would be interested in something like this IF its a good value. However I do worry since they haven't said much that it might not be anything special and really worthless.

 

[matrix86]

I second Relic's reply. All people are seeing here is "Hulu is.....announcing a subscription plan.....$10 per month". Articles like these show who actually reads the article and pays attention to it and who only reads what they want to read without looking more into it *cough Guest cough badfinger cough* Excuse me, I had a little coughing fit there

 

[vangrat]

But the question still remains, will this allow for them to open up viewing into an international audience. If they did I would so subscribe in a heartbeat as I live in Australia where it takes 5-6 months to see something that was shown in the U.S. Heck in some cases it can take a few years. As far as piracy and epic fail you who have said this really do not understand what this would mean for people who don't have access to this kind of stuff anyway.

 

[tengeta]

I guess they made it a bait & lure thing, might bite in the *** when people decide to pirate what they once had access to and they don't even get any 30 second ad revenue.

 

[matrix86]

tengeta said:
I guess they made it a bait & lure thing, might bite in the *** when people decide to pirate what they once had access to and they don't even get any 30 second ad revenue.

Yet another person not paying attention:

Under the plan, the five most recent episodes of newer shows will remain free (ad-supported), but anyone who wants to access a more comprehensive selection would have to pony up $10 per month for "Hulu Plus".

As you can see, free users will get the same content they've always gotten. What Hulu is doing is adding features to their site, but requiring a paid membership to view these additional features. How are people completely missing this section of the article? lol

 

[tipstir]

It's called Beta testers, it was free for testing and now you have to pay for watching TV, Movies on their site. There goes the free market. Can't be free always. Someone has to pay. It's you!

 

[matrix86]

It's called Beta testers, it was free for testing and now you have to pay for watching TV, Movies on their site. There goes the free market. Can't be free always. Someone has to pay. It's you!

*sigh* I must be the only person here (other than Relic) seeing this:

Under the plan, the five most recent episodes of newer shows will remain free (ad-supported), but anyone who wants to access a more comprehensive selection would have to pony up $10 per month for "Hulu Plus".

Ok, there. Hopefully that made it obvious enough

 

[Vrmithrax]

matrix86 said:
As you can see, free users will get the same content they've always gotten. What Hulu is doing is adding features to their site, but requiring a paid membership to view these additional features. How are people completely missing this section of the article? lol

From all accounts (here and other sites), Hulu is NOT "adding features" for this subscription fee, they are just severely throttling down what you get free. You won't get the same content you get right now free, you will only get a very small select subset of the content available to you right now (5 most current episodes of current shows). If you want any older shows, or archives, you will have to pay. The only feature that is even remotely being talked about that could be construed as being "added" is the iPad app, which many of us could care less about

As was also stated, we have yet to see a definitive answer on whether or not you will still be inundated with ads on the "Plus" model, as well. Plenty of speculation, but (unless I missed it) none of the news from the Hulu camp ever says Hulu Plus will be free of advertising.

I do agree with you and Relic, there is a potential to make this a service worth the $10 (like I consider my Netflix worth the money), but so far everything out of the Hulu camp is just saying "sorry, we've decided that soon you will have to pay us to get most of what you're getting free right now." If there's actual value-added stuff coming down the pike, they should probably be LEADING with that, so that the money thing becomes a non-issue.

 

[Relic]

Vrmithrax said:
I do agree with you and Relic, there is a potential to make this a service worth the $10 (like I consider my Netflix worth the money), but so far everything out of the Hulu camp is just saying "sorry, we've decided that soon you will have to pay us to get most of what you're getting free right now." If there's actual value-added stuff coming down the pike, they should probably be LEADING with that, so that the money thing becomes a non-issue.

Yup that is definitely my biggest concern, due to them not giving any real positive marketing this likely wont be in our favor. I still hope someone with a brain sees what a great opportunity this could be, but fear they wont take advantage of it, as it could lead to more consumers dropping cable television and using internet only.

And I doubt Hulu will ever go completely worldwide due to licensing concerns. They however are if I'm not mistaken in the works of releasing a Hulu UK version with local content and some US content which is a good step. But they are still seeing the world in an old business model sense instead of properly adapting and moving forward. Then again that old model is still making them tons of money so I don't see them changing anytime soon.

 

[matrix86]

@Vrmithrax
But you can only view the 5 most current episodes of the most current shows anyway. So what exactly am I losing here? Once again:

"but anyone who wants to access older episodes would have to pony up $10 per month for "Hulu Plus".

So as you can see, they are adding something. They are adding the fact that once a paid member, those older videos will stay up instead of being taken down like they usually are. So yet again, free users aren't losing anything...if this membership thing does happen.

You're right, it's still too soon to tell. But based off of what we have here, free users are keeping what they already have. They aren't going to lose anything.

 

[Guest]

matrix86


$10 just to watch older episodes is pointless! Netflix offers more bang for the buck 10 fold!

Thus Hulu is offering nothing new or better then what is already available by free or by paid service. And, i can safely say for a fact, that you will still have to watch comercials. Comercials are a huge money maker for any one.


If Hulu adds 720p and cuts the comercials to half or remove all comercials all together, then $10 will be worth it, other wise its not.

 

[matrix86]

Guest said:
matrix86

$10 just to watch older episodes is pointless! Netflix offers more bang for the buck 10 fold!

Thus Hulu is offering nothing new or better then what is already available by free or by paid service. And, i can safely say for a fact, that you will still have to watch comercials. Comercials are a huge money maker for any one.

If Hulu adds 720p and cuts the comercials to half or remove all comercials all together, then $10 will be worth it, other wise its not.

1.) I agree that paying $10 to watch older episodes is pointless and Netfilx would be a better route, but we do not yet know exactly what else (if anything) will be added to the plan other than this feature.

2.) Commercials do make them lots of money, but sites that have paid memberships usually offer LIMITED or NO ads (but remember, this is only for paying members). For the members that pay $10, I think Hulu would go with the "limited ads" route. I don't know how much it costs them to run their site and how much they make off of ads, so i'm going with the "limited ads" route as a worse case scenario. People will have different feelings about this. I know some who would say "screw it, it aint worth it" and I know those who would pay anyway and be glad at the limited number of ads (which I don't think there are really that many to begin with).

I know for a fact that free users will still get all the ads they've been given. It honestly doesn't bother me as they are only 30 seconds long and only 1 ad at a time, and the fact that those ads are what keep the site free. I will not be one of the paying members no matter what (if any) other features are added. I watch my all my missed shows on Hulu within a week of them being posted there. So I have no need to go back to watch older episodes (and even if I did, it wouldn't kill me to not be able to watch them). I have barely any money as it is, so I will not be paying to use any extra features offered for both reasons listed.

 

[impcfast]

Actually, this wasn't Hulu's idea. Less than a month ago, a news story came out that studios were pressuring Hulu to add a subscription fee or lose a good majority of their content. Viacom is a big pusher for these fees. According to the article I read, the studios make 50-70% of the profit on the ads shown on Hulu. Last year, Hulu made $100 million profit for themselves and the studios got the rest. It's just a matter of greed on the studios part and a matter of keeping their business on Hulu's part.

The studios have forgotten that this ad based Hulu is the legal form of streaming content on the internet. They should have been quite happy with their large profit. I certainly won't pay Hulu. I'd be more inclined to watch the tv eps on ad-less pirate sites (not that I'm endorsing that). It's what was around before Hulu came along and started making a nice profit, and it will be around long after, I'm sure.