Hulu, Online Video | featured news

Hulu is close to renewing its deal for TV shows from its media-company owners in a move that would secure the future of the online video site but could delay Hulu's access to some shows for its free service.

Hulu, the online-video site owned by three large media companies, is exploring an initial public offering.

Online video site Hulu could begin testing a paid subscription service as early as later this month, according to people briefed on the plans, a high-profile test of whether consumers will pay to watch television shows online.

Hulu reportedly will introduce a subscription plan as soon as May 24, which would cost $10 per month for access to anything older than the last five episodes of popular TV shows, according to the Los Angeles Times.

As a joint venture between Disney, Fox and NBC Universal, Hulu is best known for its free and extensive library of TV shows and movies.

Hulu is thinking about charging for its videos. That's playing with fire, my friends.

It’s been rumored for a while now that Hulu intends to launch a subscription service. The NBC/FOX/ABC online video website already has built up an audience with its impressive TV library and alien ad campaigns, but the networks have been looking to turn Hulu into a significant profit generator.

Warner Music Group has completed a deal with YouTube that will bring back music videos for Green Day, U2, Madonna and other artists to the video-sharing site from which they were removed in December, according to two executives familiar with the talks.

Warner has also commenced talks with Vevo, the "Hulu for music" joint venture between YouTube and Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainments.

Hulu CEO Jason Kilar won a big battle against Google's (GOOG) top dealmakers in April, successfully convincing Disney (DIS) CEO Bob Iger to put ABC's full-length content on Hulu instead of YouTube.

Google wanted to make Disney the cornerstone of its new focus on premium content, but Disney ended up taking an equity stake in Hulu alongside prior investors News Corp (NWS), NBC (GE) and Providence Equity Partners.

A couple months later, the fruits of Jason's labor are here in the form of mega-hit "Grey's Anatomy," now live on Hulu.

Nothing free and awesome lasts forever. Case in point: Hulu.com. According to Jonathan Miller, News Corps.'s chief digital officer, Hulu may begin charging for some online content in the near future.