One part of the future for TV watching may soon emerge. According to a new report, the popular online video site Hulu plans to start a subscription-based service.
A report in Wednesday’s Los Angeles Times said a subscription of $9.95 per month will be offered on May 24. It will allow users to see current TV series episodes older than the five most recent shows. The most recent programs will still be available free, with ads. The Times attributed the information to “people with knowledge of the plans.”
Hulu Plus
The new service will be called Hulu Plus, and will provide access to the backlog of shows from such popular series as Glee, Lost and Saturday Night Live.
Hulu, owned by News Corp., NBC Universal, and the Walt Disney Co., has taken in more than $100 million in advertising revenue since its launch two years ago, and the company said it has had an operating profit in the most recent two quarters. It offers content from a wide range of more than 200 content providers, including ABC, Lionsgate, Endemol, MGM, MTV Networks, National Geographic, Paramount, PBS, Sony Pictures Television, Warner Brothers, and others. For TV alone, Hulu’s library includes more than 1,700 series.
Hulu’s place in the emerging media ecosystem — and especially its plan to generate revenue beyond advertising — has been a constant subject of discussion among industry observers. There has been an expectation that, sooner or later, it would need to begin charging for some of its TV and movie content.
Dmitriy Molchanov, an analyst with industry research firm Yankee Group, said the basis of the new subscription offer will be that it provides access to more content than what users can otherwise get. This kind of move is necessary for the site, he said, as it “needs to do…