One of Hulu's biggest accomplishments has been creating a convenient, free and legal alternative to Bit Torrent for high-quality video content. Even with big losses like the full series of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, it has remained the best library for online video. However, the free times they are a-changin'.
Today, Gizmodo reports on recent comments from Chase Carey, deputy chairman of News. Corp which co-owns Hulu, boldly claiming that, "Hulu's Glorious Free Days Are Officially Numbered." Well, not quite. According to TV Week, "[Carey] later told B&C's Claire Atkinson that not all content on Hulu would be behind a pay wall." So, to the freemium model we go? Or payment on a per-episode basis? Proceed with caution, content distributors and recall history: Netflix's streaming subscription model has been a widespread success in contrast to the tepid reception of rental/purchasing alternatives on devices like the Apple TV. Sorry, that hilarious episode of The Office where Dwight's desk is moved to the bathroom isn't worth $2.99 tethered to one device.
A discussion on the future of TV would not be complete without our good friends the cable providers. Where do goliaths like Comcast belong in the ecosystem of IP-based syndicated content? Trying to maintain relevance, they're
scrambling to compete with TV Everywhere initiatives of their own. But do they really address a consumer need in our social, peer-driven world of discovery? For me, not really. I don't have time for aimless channel surfing, I find out about shows through peers. Like the hilarious
Glee. That's right, I said it. The sole remaining benefit of cable providers is to promote niche channels/shows that would otherwise struggle to receive national audiences. You gotta love cable bundling packages. If there's a lesson to be taken from the dumb-pipe-be-damned mobile operators, it's that powerful incumbents will fight hard to preserve dated business models.
Perhaps the transition to paid online content was inevitable as a critical mass audience moved online and pre-roll advertisements didn't cover the bill. The Chris Anderson model of free may be viable for the long-tail but is it realistic for expensive TV production and Hollywood salaries? Maybe not. As the outspoken Mark Cuban humorously puts it, "We aren’t talking healthcare, we are talking The Simpsons. No one in the country has the right for their Simpsons to be subsidized."
