It's unavoidable...Hulu to charge in 2010!

[Supreme Admiral]

News Corp. Deputy Chairman Chase Carey opened the B&C OnScreen summit to discuss where he sees the business going. “It’s time to start getting paid for broadcast content online,” he said. Carey said that while everyone cites the infamous Jeff Zucker quip that “We’re exchanging analogue dollars for digital dimes,” the industry continues to do exactly that. The strategy needs to be more than just fighting piracy and Google, he says.

“I think a free model is a very difficult way to capture the value of our content. I think what we need to do is deliver that content to consumers in a way where they will appreciate the value,” Carey said. “Hulu concurs with that, it needs to evolve to have a meaningful subscription model as part of its business.”

AdVerse had a quick chat with Carey too and posed the question, when exactly does Hulu start charging then? Carey, who says he’s only been to one Hulu board meeting since arriving at News Corp., suggests there is still no timeline but supposes it’s at least in 2010. Carey says that while throwing up a pay-wall around all content is not the answer, it doesn’t mean there wont be fees for some specially-created content and TV previews. Windows are just around the corner. American Idol audition previews anyone? Mobile Hulu is another potential way of making money.

So what changes if and when Comcast takes the NBCU seat at the Hulu table alongside News Corp. and Disney? Comcast has very different thoughts about how to charge for online content. Carey sees the authentication strategy as a good first move, but describes it as defensive, and told me he doesn’t see how it creates additional revenue.

And then there are the regulatory hurdles facing a Comcast deal for NBCU which could result in a delay of at least a year before Comcast gets to really run the show.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/blog/ADverse_Atkinson_on_Advertising/23941-Chase_Carey_Hulu_to_Charge_in_2010.php

Unbelievable! I knew this was going to happening.

 

[Mr. B]

Yeah, good luck with that.

 

[JuanBolio]

Never fails. Anything good that starts out free will start charging. Happened with Juno, happened with NetZero, now this.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

I don't know. The plan so far, if you can even call it that, is rather vague and speculative. If they limit the pay features to Hulu mobile, specially created content, and episode previews (by that I assume they mean viewing the entire episode well before the airdate instead of just a clip of an upcoming episode, because who would pay for that?), that doesn't seem too bad.

But if they start trying to charge for viewing commercial television shows after the airdate, they're shooting themselves in the foot. But it doesn't seem, from this announcement at least, that they have any plans to change that so far. Just stick to showing them with commercials.

 

[Lindley]

If it's something like the Premium Memberships here---a small fee in exchange for no commercials---then it could work. Needs to be optional, though.

 

[Guartho]

Hey, I hate the idea of hulu charging, but that sounds good. I love my netflix instant-watching for instance. But, I'd hate paying for multiple services so that way I wouldn't have to.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

If it's something like the Premium Memberships here---a small fee in exchange for no commercials---then it could work. Needs to be optional, though.

Yeah, that would seem to be the most sensible option.

 

[mtblillie]

Yeah I knew that was going to happen, I just don't understand why.

I mean internet is becoming the future of all media, why can't it just be like how we watch TV? They can get ratings and sell advertisements on the website just like how they do on TV, maybe even more efficiently.

Why does it always have to be about money? Like they don't have enough or something.
It's not like it's easier or really any cheaper to watch it on the internet anyway so what difference does it make?

 

[Alpha_Geek]

Bullshite. They could put more ads in and keep the service free to the consumer. Of course that would mean more work for their sales staff...

 

[Joshua Howard]

Hulu is just cool enough for me to frequent it for free. If they started charging for sitewide material, I wouldn't buy it. After all, if I want to pay for my entertainment, I'll either sign up for cable or go pay cash for DVDs that I have an actual specific desire to watch.

 

[RandyS]

Next thing you know, Youtube will start charging.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

If they start charging for the shows I watch, I simply won't watch them anymore.

 

[Supreme Admiral]

If they start charging for the shows I watch, I simply won't watch them anymore.

You and me both, The Dead Nations! I find it unbelievable that they're going to charging for the shows coming next year, so that left me no choice but to abandon Hulu if they decide to charging.

 

[TheBrew]

If it's something like the Premium Memberships here---a small fee in exchange for no commercials---then it could work. Needs to be optional, though.

Yeah, that would seem to be the most sensible option.

I would pay around $10 a month for this. Much more and it makes more sense for me to get cable.

 

[Starbreaker]

The whole point of Hulu is to watch high quality programming (with ads) instead of instead of relying on piracy. I seriously doubt they're going to start charging for basic service.

 

[Davros]

If they start charging for the shows I watch, I simply won't watch them anymore.

Same here

 

[Kelso]

Unbelievable! I knew this was going to happening.

So, it is both unbelievable and expected?

 

[Supreme Admiral]

Unbelievable! I knew this was going to happening.

So, it is both unbelievable and expected?

You got me, Kelso.

 

[enlisted person]

Isn't it amazing that no online place can do what analog TV did for years. Give free media with the pay coming from advertising dollars.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Unbelievable! I knew this was going to happening.

So, it is both unbelievable and expected?