Hulu Was Launched! Will YouTube Lose Its Fans?

By Daniel Nicholas
11:19, March 16th 2008

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After about four months since its test launch, Hulu was finally made available to the public on Wednesday! People, as well as tech industry’s analysts, have long waited for this service that was said to become YouTube’s most important enemy.

Similarly to Google’s YouTube, Hulu represents an online video service; however, Hulu promises to bring for free many popular TV series’ episodes and many famous movies to fans. Hulu is also a joint venture of News Corp. and General Electric’s NBC Universal and will offer programming from Time Warner’s Warner Bros. Television Group, Lionsgate, as well as from sports leagues, such the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League. Unfortunately, CBS Corp. and Viacom, two significant players of the media industry, are still missing from Hulu’s providers list.

While Viacom said recently that it was still discussing with News Corp. and NBC Universal regarding a potential deal, CBS Corp. announced that it might be interested in a licensing deal.

Since Wednesday, Hulu has started to offer 100 full-length movies, such as The Big Lebowski, Ice Age and Mulholland Drive, as well as episodes of more than 250 TV series, including The Simpsons and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

So, Hulu was launched! Will YouTube lose its fans?

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Hulu enthusiast

By SludgeHeap, (2008-03-17 01:24)

YouTube will probably always be the place for plenty of kitsch, but Hulu is rapidly setting the example for a higher class standard of content. The biggest difference I see is that with YouTube, I have to wade through countless amateur clips to find a good one, which frankly consumes too much of my time when I'm looking for content.
Hulu is like going to an "official" website, and the bonus is that the content is of the calibre that other websites are proud to incorporate. Take http://series.airwolf.tv/episodes for example. A simple website, but one that effectively aligns itself with Hulu's content to provide a high-calibre experience. I imagine we'll be seeing more of these type offerings emerge as neticens embrace the new digital delivery model.
So I imagine that Hulu will garner a distinct audience who doesn't care for a ton of junk.

Let's break up the internet

By Grumpy 64, (2008-03-16 17:42)

'Content not available in your region'. Well Hulu, I wish you good luck.

Seen it with the Star Trek series online. A big no-no. Seen it at the BBC website even. 'Your not from the UK so you cannot access this page'.

What is the use of putting services online which are only meant to be used by people who happen to browse from a certain country? Are we heading to an internet where a few big companies will decide for everybody what is to be seen and what not? Some governments might find it a splendid idea, as the big boys operating in China already know.

Hulu and YT are NOTHING alike... at ALL

By An4h0ny, (2008-03-16 16:48)

search Google for "Youtube Hulu" and look at how many stories there are about Hulu being a YT competitor. Now bookmark those sites in your mind and avoid them because they have no connection to or understanding of what's happening online. Hulu and YouTube are not competing in the same space... at all. The only way they are similar can be encapsulated in the two words "Online" and "VIdeo".
Hulu is studio created content, full length TV episodes, a few clips and full films with targeted, specific and limited advertising. YT is user created content, almost ALL clips with copious on page advertising that almost overwhelms the content at times. I like both sites and use both, have been in the Hulu beta for a while and a YT member for years.

Comparing them is idiotic and speaks to a basic ignorance of what either site even does.

I watch full episodes of the Simpsons and WKRP on Youtube. I watch clips of Anonymous protests against Scientology on YouTube. Two types of content. Two different services.

It's pretty simple, really. :\

p.s. your captcha sucks and it's broken.

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