Are the folks who put together “The Office” clairvoyant or what? These things are written and shot many weeks in advance, yet last night’s episode contains a perfectly timed reference to the News Corp./Google paywall controversy.
Is Hulu putting up a pay wall around its Web TV site? Nope.
Does Hulu want to charge people to watch Web TV? Yes.
Confused? Don’t be.
Here’s the explanation about what’s going on at the premium online video site.
There is no shortage of places to watch TV shows free on the Web. There’s a glut of them, really. But here comes another: AT&T Entertainment. How is it different than Hulu, TV.com, Sling.com, Fancast, etc.? It’s not.
A month ago, we heard that a deal between Disney and Hulu was finally ready for primetime. Better late than never: A deal to bring Disney’s content, primarily from ABC.com, should debut soon.
The good news for Web TV watchers: You’re going to get “The Office” and “Lost” on the same site. The bad news: The networks are still wary of the Web. Get used to seeing your favorite shows “windowed.”
When I first met Avner Ronen two months ago, the Israeli entrepreneur was basking in buzz. Now his Web video start-up has gotten a sobering dose of reality from the television establishment, courtesy of NBC and Fox. But Ronen still thinks he can get big TV, and big cable, to play along with him. He has a persuasive case.
Dave Morgan made his reputation, and fortune, by building RealMedia and Tacoda–two pioneering Web advertising technology companies. So it’s no surprise to see him launch another ad start-up. But it is surprising to hear about the market he’s targeting: TV ads for TV shows.
I don’t want the Web on my big screen TV. I do want easy access to Web video, though–especially stuff like Hulu and Netflix on Demand. Enter Boxee, and cue worried cable execs.
Peter Kafka has been covering media and technology since 1997, when he joined the staff of Forbes magazine. Most recently, he has been the managing editor of the tech and media Web site, Silicon Alley Insider. Read more »
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