PlayStation 3, Hulu Near Pact on Imminent Pay-TV Service

25 Jun, 2010 By: Erik Gruenwedel

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Hulu’s anticipated monthly subscription service took another step toward reality following media reports Sony is in advanced discussions to carry so-called “Hulu Plus” on PlayStation 3 video game console, according to Reuters.

The website for repurposed television programming, co-owned by The Walt Disney Co., NBC Universal and News Corp., has been toying with bowing the $9.95 monthly subscription plan largely for catalog content.

The PS3 would incorporate Hulu’s TV-based programming to supplement Netflix movie streams already offered via separate subscription, according to the report.

Hulu tracked 1.2 billion video views in May, trailing only industry behemoth YouTube with 14.6 billion views, according to comScore.

Earlier this month, Santa Monica, Calif.-based research firm Interpret said Hulu’s audience is largely predicated on free programming, making widespread adoption for a subscription service less likely.

“Ad-supported models will still work for certain stuff, but not for premium content,” said Edward Woo, media analyst with Wedbush Morgan Securities in Los Angeles. “Viewers may be hesitant when they have to pay for what was free. $10 might be too high for just TV shows.”

Representatives from Hulu and Sony were not immediately available for comment.

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