Hulu is eliminating its free, ad-supported streaming service • Hacker News Board

Re: Hulu is eliminating its free, ad-supported streaming service

#11

Post by eikenberry » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 8:55 PM UTC

kevin_b_er wrote: post #6

So you can PAY to see ads just like cable TV.

Or like most any magazine.

Re: Hulu is eliminating its free, ad-supported streaming service

#12

Post by serge2k » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 8:57 PM UTC

allsystemsgo wrote: post #2

Cool, now if they could not show ads for their paid service, that'd be great.

For 11.99 you get that for all but a handful of shows, and they tell you exactly which shows when you sign up.

Re: Hulu is eliminating its free, ad-supported streaming service

#13

Post by profeta » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 8:59 PM UTC

> main product appeal: choose what to watch.

> free, ad-supported version: you can't choose what to watch.

I may be wrong here, but why even call them by the same name?

Re: Hulu is eliminating its free, ad-supported streaming service

#14

Post by hackerboos » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 9:03 PM UTC

mark_l_watson wrote: post #3

allsystemsgo wrote: post #2

Cool, now if they could not show ads for their paid service, that'd be great.

We pay $12/month so Hulu diesn't show us ads. Really worth the extra money.

There are still ads on some shows even if you pay $12.

Re: Hulu is eliminating its free, ad-supported streaming service

#15

Post by jpmattia » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 9:03 PM UTC

allsystemsgo wrote: post #2

Cool, now if they could not show ads for their paid service, that'd be great.

> Cool, now if they could not show ads for their paid service, that'd be great.

They offer it, but just like cable TV before it, the ad-free tier will go away as soon as somebody applies pressure on the bottom line.

Re: Hulu is eliminating its free, ad-supported streaming service

#16

Post by erdevs » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 9:03 PM UTC

Between Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, HBO Go, Showtime, etc on-demand services... what is left keeping people from cutting the cable TV cord? Just awareness and inertia? (Which are powerful, witness AOL dial-up ISP for a decade+.) Or are there other things keeping people tethered still? Sports? Reality TV series which don't all make it onto these on-demand services?

Think this a smart move on Hulu's part. And depending on the economics, potentially smart for Yahoo+Verizon too.

Re: Hulu is eliminating its free, ad-supported streaming service

#17

Post by toxican » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 9:04 PM UTC

erdevs wrote: post #16

Between Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, HBO Go, Showtime, etc on-demand services... what is left keeping people from cutting the cable TV cord? Just awareness and inertia? (Which are powerful, witness AOL dial-up ISP for a decade+.) Or are there other things keeping people tethered still? Sports? Reality TV series which don't all make it onto these on-demand services? Think this a smart move on Hulu's part. And depending on t…

Cheaper to bundle your internet with cable than to just have internet.

Re: Hulu is eliminating its free, ad-supported streaming service

#18

Post by Aelinsaar » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 9:11 PM UTC

jpmattia wrote: post #15

allsystemsgo wrote: post #2

Cool, now if they could not show ads for their paid service, that'd be great.

> Cool, now if they could not show ads for their paid service, that'd be great. They offer it, but just like cable TV before it, the ad-free tier will go away as soon as somebody applies pressure on the bottom line.

If they do, they'll lose a ton of their customers.

Re: Hulu is eliminating its free, ad-supported streaming service

#19

Post by sparky_z » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 9:15 PM UTC

annieipr wrote: post #8

Don't know why they still force you to watch commercials for anything that is on FOX even when you pay the upgrade.

I bet that the original licensing deals had terms based on "share of ad revenue". They had to renegotiate all their contracts to offer the ad-free tier, and not all the content providers played ball.

Re: Hulu is eliminating its free, ad-supported streaming service

#20

Post by hsod » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 9:15 PM UTC

erdevs wrote: post #16

Between Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, HBO Go, Showtime, etc on-demand services... what is left keeping people from cutting the cable TV cord? Just awareness and inertia? (Which are powerful, witness AOL dial-up ISP for a decade+.) Or are there other things keeping people tethered still? Sports? Reality TV series which don't all make it onto these on-demand services? Think this a smart move on Hulu's part. And depending on t…

Live events, for me. Primarily NFL/NBA/MLB games, but also things like live news coverage.