{"id":27194,"date":"2016-02-18T13:30:03","date_gmt":"2016-02-18T18:30:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bejone03.expressions.syr.edu\/trf235\/?p=27194"},"modified":"2016-04-25T21:14:19","modified_gmt":"2016-04-26T01:14:19","slug":"hulu-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bejone03.expressions.syr.edu\/trf235\/2016\/02\/18\/hulu-6\/","title":{"rendered":"Hulu"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"http:\/\/www.freelogovectors.net\/hulu-logo-eps-file\/\"<\/a>

hulu company logo [1]<\/p><\/div>\n

Founded: March 2007 by Beth Comstock & Jason Kilar<\/p>\n

\"Jason<\/a>

Jason Kilar [3]<\/p><\/div>

\"Beth<\/a>

Beth Comstock [2]<\/p><\/div>CEO: Mike Hopkins<\/p>\n

\"mike_hopkins\"<\/a>

Mike Hopkins [19]<\/p><\/div>SVP, Head of Distribution: Tim Connolly<\/p>\n

\"tim_connolly\"<\/a>

Tim Connolly [19]<\/p><\/div>SVP, Head of Content: Craig Erwich<\/p>\n

\"craig_erwich\"<\/a>

Craig Erwich [19]<\/p><\/div>SVP, General Counsel: Chadwick Ho<\/p>\n

\"chad_ho\"<\/a>

Chadwick Ho [19]<\/p><\/div>\n

About<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hulu<\/a>\u00a0is an OTT (over the top) streaming service launched in 2008 to provide users with “hundreds of thousands of hours of the best of the best television programming and movies to subscribers with limited commercials” [4]. Hulu<\/a>\u00a0offers its services in both the United States and Japan on two pay scales: “with limited commercials for $7.99 per month or with no commercials for $11.99 per month” [4]. New users can also try Hulu<\/a>\u00a0for a 30-day free trial.<\/p>\n

Compared to other OTT streaming services like Netflix<\/a>\u00a0and HBO Go<\/a>, Hulu<\/a>\u00a0has the benefit of being owned by three of the largest programming distributors: NBCUniversal<\/a>,\u00a0Fox<\/a>, and Disney-ABC<\/a>. In total, Hulu<\/a>\u00a0has over 500 content partners [4], providing them a great advantage in programming over their competitors. On the advertising side, Hulu<\/a>\u00a0has partnerships with over 2,000\u00a0brand and companies, helping it gain recognition as one of “the top ad-supported online video sites” [4].\u00a0Hulu<\/a>\u00a0boasts a subscriber base of 9 Million users whose viewership trends are tracked by ComScore, Nielson, and Quantcast.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Background<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hulu<\/a>\u00a0was first announced during the Super Bowl XLII broadcast via an Alec Baldwin-starring commercial<\/a>. Initially, the platform was available for free via an ad-supported system and at a premium level called “Hulu Plus” without ads. Archived\u00a0content from its three powerhouse distributors (NBC<\/a>\/Fox<\/a>\/Disney<\/a>)\u00a0could be viewed in on an unlimited basis on both platforms. In 2011; however, Hulu<\/a>\u00a0announced that content would be available on the service\u00a0the day after premiering once\u00a0users authenticated their service-providers [5]. Later that year, the company struck a deal with the CW Network<\/a>\u00a0to also premiere their content next-day [6]. Two years later, Hulu<\/a>\u00a0signed on with BBC Worldwide North America<\/a>\u00a0to “bring as many as 2,000 episodes from 144 different BBC titles to a wider American audience” [7].<\/p>\n

In Early 2015, AT&T<\/a> struck a deal with Hulu<\/a>\u00a0to allow for\u00a0streaming on “the telecom company\u2019s websites and mobile apps” [11]. In\u00a0June of 2015, Showtime<\/a>\u00a0became “the first premium service to be offered by Hulu<\/a>” [8], in a monumental deal that allowed the company to effectively compete HBO Go<\/a> by offering the addition of Showtime<\/a>‘s premium content at only an additional $8.99\/month as compared to HBO Go<\/a>‘s $11.99\/month charge [8]. This deal also showcased the Hulu<\/a>\u00a0platform’s ability to support premium add-ons, highlighting them as a powerful distribution tool for premium content providers. In<\/p>\n

Original Programming<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 2011, Hulu<\/a>\u00a0partnered with documentary film-maker, Morgan Spurlock, on a 6-episode series titled, “A Day In The Life<\/a>” [9]. The show was available to both free and premium subscribers and chronicled Spurlock as he followed a famous individual around for a day. In 2013, the company ramped up it’s original content by premiering “three original series and seven exclusive shows” [10]. As of April, 2016, the platform boasts 23 original titles, ranging from shows like\u00a0The Awesomes<\/em>\u00a0to\u00a0Deadbeat.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Exclusive Rights Deals<\/strong><\/p>\n

Currently,\u00a0Hulu<\/a>\u00a0is focussed on acquiring rights to exclusive content and original series in order to lure potential users. This January, the company gained exclusive rights to stream “Lifetime\u2019s critically acclaimed drama series from A+E Studios<\/a>, UnREAL” [11]\u00a0<\/em>This move, which gambled on the success of a critically acclaimed show after it’s first season, highlights the mindset of much of the company’s moves thus far in 2016. In addition to\u00a0UnReal,<\/em> Hulu<\/a>\u00a0also picked up the rights to\u00a0Chance<\/em>, “a provocative psychological thriller that focuses on a forensic neuropsychiatrist who reluctantly gets sucked into a violent and dangerous world of mistaken identity, police corruption and mental illness” [12].<\/p>\n

On January 27, Hulu<\/a>\u00a0announced a “landmark output deal” with IFC Films<\/a>\u00a0that makes “Hulu <\/a>the exclusive streaming home for all future documentary releases from IFC Films<\/a>, which will include all documentaries from the brands IFC Films<\/a>, Sundance Selects and IFC Midnight” [15]. In a first-of-its-kind deal, all IFC films will now go directly from theaters to the Hulu<\/a>\u00a0platform in the first “one-window” agreement of its kind [15].<\/p>\n

\"Curious<\/a>

Curious George [17]<\/p><\/div>\n

In March,\u00a0Hulu<\/a>\u00a0and Universal<\/a>\u00a0announced a deal that gives the platform exclusive rights to the\u00a0Curious George<\/em> series for past and future releases within the window of a three-year deal [16]. In total, Hulu<\/a> users “gain access to all nine seasons \u2013 over 100 episodes – of CURIOUS GEORGE\u00ae<\/sup> TV series”. Additionally,\u00a0Hulu<\/a>\u00a0will be the home to all\u00a0Curious George<\/em> feature-length films and the destination\u00a0of “direct-to-TV specials” [16].<\/p>\n

Content Creator<\/strong><\/p>\n

Aside from picking up the rights to existing content, Hulu<\/a>\u00a0sees itself as a platform for content creators to flex their muscles. Speaking at the Code\/Media conference, CEO Mike Hopkins said, “What we\u2019re trying to do is give creators the resources they need \u2026 and go for it” [14]. While the company is “lacking a defining show like \u201cOrange Is the New Black\u201d or \u201cTransparent,” [14] Hulu\u00a0<\/a>is confident in its ability to win bidding wars for broadcast smash-hits, something apparent in the company’s success at beating out Netflix<\/a> and HBO Go<\/a> for the rights to Fox<\/a>‘s\u00a0Empire<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Virtual Reality<\/strong><\/p>\n

On March 24,\u00a0Hulu<\/a>\u00a0announced the launch of it’s virtual reality application. Available on Samsung’s Gear VR platform, Hulu says that it will be bringing all current content to the app and will be\u00a0“augmenting the experience with some of the very best 360-degree video content available” [18]. Additionally, the company states that users will be able to “watch the entire Hulu 2D library in immersive 360-degree environments” [18].<\/p>\n

Overview<\/strong><\/p>\n

With the competitive world of OTT streaming as fiery a battle as ever,\u00a0Hulu<\/a>\u00a0sees to distance itself from the competition by providing its users with innovative, exclusive content. To reel in new customers, the company\u00a0hopes to be the first to strike gold in new ventures such as virtual reality and will continue to hope that its licensing deals continue to drive\u00a0revenues.<\/p>\n

Sources<\/strong><\/p>\n

[1]\u00a0http:\/\/www.freelogovectors.net\/hulu-logo-eps-file\/<\/p>\n

[2]\u00a0Dan, Avi. “GE’s CMO Beth Comstock Inspires Innovation Through Instigating.” Forbes<\/i>. Forbes Magazine, 19 Apr. 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/avidan\/2012\/04\/19\/ges-cmo-beth-comstock-inspires-innovation-through-instigating\/#61e6696d3de4>.<\/p>\n

[3] Jason Kilar, Chief Executive Officer of Hulu LLC, Speaks during A…” Getty Images<\/i>. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/news-photo\/jason-kilar-chief-executive-officer-of-hulu-llc-speaks-news-photo\/123197454>.<\/p>\n

[4] About Hulu.” Watch TV and Movies on Xbox, PS3, Apple TV, and More<\/i>. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http:\/\/www.hulu.com\/press\/about>.<\/p>\n

[5]\u00a0Stelter, Brian. “Fox to Limit Next-Day Streaming on Hulu to Paying Cable Customers.” The New York Times<\/i>. The New York Times, 26 July 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2011\/07\/27\/business\/media\/fox-to-limit-next-day-streaming-on-hulu.html>.<\/p>\n

[6]\u00a0Wasserman, Todd. “Hulu to Get Current Season of Gossip Girl and Other CW Content.” Mashable<\/i>. N.p., 28 Oct. 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http:\/\/mashable.com\/2011\/10\/28\/hulu-gossip-girl-cw\/#0f8HZKPPEsqq>.<\/p>\n

[7] Hulu BBC Deal: A Positive Step After Some Cloudy Times \u00bb CEOWORLD Magazine.” CEOWORLD Magazine<\/i>. N.p., 18 Sept. 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http:\/\/ceoworld.biz\/2013\/09\/18\/hulu-bbc-deal-a-positive-step-after-some-cloudy-times>.<\/p>\n

[8]\u00a0Perez, Sarah. “Showtime Becomes The First Premium Service To Be Offered By\u00a0Hulu.” TechCrunch<\/i>. N.p., 23 June 2015. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2015\/06\/23\/showtime-becomes-the-first-premium-service-to-be-offered-by-hulu\/>.<\/p>\n

[9]\u00a0Emami, Gazelle. “Morgan Spurlock ‘A Day In The Life’: Original Series Premieres On Hulu (VIDEO).” The Huffington Post<\/i>. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2011\/08\/17\/morgan-spurlock-a-day-in-the-life_n_929008.html>.<\/p>\n

[10] Gates, Sara. “Hulu Expands Original Content, Announces Three Series And Seven Exclusive Shows (VIDEO).” The Huffington Post<\/i>. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2012\/05\/21\/hulu-expands-original-content_n_1532718.html>.<\/p>\n

[11]\u00a0Smiley, Minda. “AT&T Strikes Deal with Hulu to Offer Subscription Service to Its Customers.” The Drum<\/i>. N.p., 25 Apr. 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http:\/\/www.thedrum.com\/news\/2015\/05\/14\/att-strikes-deal-hulu-offer-subscription-service-its-customers>.<\/p>\n

[12] News.” TV Shows and Movies<\/i>. Ed. Press Admin. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http:\/\/www.hulu.com\/press\/posts\/hulu-acquires-exclusive-svod-rights-to-unreal>.<\/p>\n

[13] News.” Watch TV and Movies on Xbox, PS3, Apple TV, and More<\/i>. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http:\/\/www.hulu.com\/press\/posts\/hulu-picks-up-chance>.<\/p>\n

[14]\u00a0CHMIELEWSKI, Dawn. “Hulu Finally Gets Serious With Original TV Series \u2014 But Is It Too Little, Too Late?” Recode<\/i>. N.p., 18 Feb. 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http:\/\/recode.net\/2016\/02\/18\/hulu-finally-gets-serious-with-original-tv-series-but-is-it-too-little-too-late\/>.<\/p>\n

[15]\u00a0Press Admin. “HULU STRIKES FIRST EVER DEAL FOR PAY ONE WINDOW RIGHTS WITH IFC FILMS.” Hulu.com<\/i>. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http:\/\/www.hulu.com\/press\/posts\/hulu-strikes-first-ever-deal-for-pay-one-window-rights-with-ifc-films>.<\/p>\n

[16]\u00a0Press Admin. “HULU and UNIVERSAL INK GROUNDBREAKING DEAL FOR CURIOUS GEORGE\u00ae TV.” Hulu News<\/i>. N.p., 17 Mar. 2016. Web. <http:\/\/www.hulu.com\/press\/news>.<\/p>\n

[17]\u00a0http:\/\/www.rivercenter.org\/event\/curious-george-2\/<\/p>\n

[18]\u00a0Press Admin. “Hulu Launches Virtual Reality Application.” Hulu News<\/i>. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http:\/\/www.hulu.com\/press\/posts\/hulu-launches-virtual-reality-application>.<\/p>\n

[19]\u00a0Press Admin. “Executives.” Hulu Executives<\/i>. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http:\/\/www.hulu.com\/press\/executives>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  Founded: March 2007 by Beth Comstock & Jason Kilar CEO: Mike Hopkins SVP, Head of Distribution: Tim Connolly SVP, Head of Content: Craig Erwich SVP, General Counsel: Chadwick Ho About Hulu\u00a0is an OTT (over the top) streaming service launched … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":556,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4877],"tags":[4991,4982,4984,929,4980,4981,41,4976,4975,4986,4989,1967,2770,4977,2785,4603,344,2089,1027,979,4987,1029,1965,4983,293,534,4978,3252,1968,4990,1266,4988,4979,2816,2929,2769,4985,4973],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bejone03.expressions.syr.edu\/trf235\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27194"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bejone03.expressions.syr.edu\/trf235\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bejone03.expressions.syr.edu\/trf235\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bejone03.expressions.syr.edu\/trf235\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/556"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bejone03.expressions.syr.edu\/trf235\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27194"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/bejone03.expressions.syr.edu\/trf235\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27194\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28060,"href":"https:\/\/bejone03.expressions.syr.edu\/trf235\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27194\/revisions\/28060"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bejone03.expressions.syr.edu\/trf235\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27194"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bejone03.expressions.syr.edu\/trf235\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27194"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bejone03.expressions.syr.edu\/trf235\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27194"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}