According to The Australian, PBL Media is in talks to launch Hulu here in Australia. But before you get all excited, about access to endless, free online entertainment, know that it’s probably going to be gimped from the start.
According to the Australian’s sources, the deal is in the final stages, and won’t impact any of the current licensing arrangements any of the US networks currently have in place with the Australian networks. What it does potentially offer is the back catalogue of programming from the 235 US content providers. The Oz also floats the idea that PBL – owners of Channel 9 – could potentially partner with Seven and Ten to offer current content online, although given the efforts both Seven and Ten are putting into their own online portals, this is probably unlikely.
Still, fingers crossed… Having a Hulu-like repository for classic TV shows is still a step forward in this digital entertainment backwater…
[The Australian via Lifehacker]
moggyx
Monday, November 22, 2010 at 1:43 PMI love the fact you used the term “gimped” to describe how crippled this thing will be. It’s bound to be the next crippled local version of what was a great foreign product, ala TiVo.
Al
Monday, November 22, 2010 at 1:48 PMIts amazing that channels 7, 10 and 9 are so behind in this department. Its a good example of the closed mind priorities of a lot of big business here in Oz.
Thank god we have iView, what a fantastic resource and SBS is not far behind though we need a portal to that for the PS3, that, iView, PlayTV, Mubi and the Playstation store would make it the perfect media center. To bad the controller sucks to hard for any real gaming….
Anthony May
Monday, November 22, 2010 at 2:17 PMindeed, ‘gimped’ it will be from the outset. this is why:
“…and won’t impact any of the current licensing arrangements any of the US networks currently have in place with the Australian networks.”
while Australia continues to languish in its TV backwater where still so many TV shows are weeks, months or even years behind the initial air dates in the originating country, and where AU TV station’s licensing deals strictly enforce ‘first dibs’, any other distribution medium is sure to fail, or at least languish as surely as the AU TV industry itself.
there’s little to look forward to here. and it won’t stop piracy one iota.
Al
Monday, November 22, 2010 at 2:29 PM“it won’t stop piracy one iota.” Agreed.
Isn’t there a strong argumant that online viewing would reduce piracy? Even if they put ads in the shows if I could watch what ever I want when I want I’d put up with them. If they say it would destroy prime time for advertising isn’t it still a good thing as the better the show the higher the ad shot costs meaning they might actually make some more decent TV shows!?
Brent Ephraims
Monday, November 22, 2010 at 2:51 PMhells yeah! this will be fantastic!
definitely a step in the right direction – but i can’t see first run shows in the US appearing on Hulu Aus until they’ve been aired on Aus TV…
Wayne Moore
Monday, November 22, 2010 at 9:55 PMGimped is right. Why can’t we get a decent download / streaming service here?
There is little doubt that people would pay a reasonable price for legal access to quality content. Yes there are pirates who torrent because they don’t want to pay but there are a huge number of ‘pirates’ here who download because the alternatives are crap.
The networks need to wake up to the revenue possibilities like the music industry has. CD sales are diminishing but are people spending less $$$ on music? I don’t think so.
Craig
Monday, November 22, 2010 at 10:36 PMI’m thinking nine ~ ninemsn …
If they can bring Hulu to Xbox I’m sold :)
Warwick
Monday, November 22, 2010 at 11:13 PMOn tap American rubbish. No thanks.
Peter Campbell
Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 9:44 AMSeems like a good move, didn’t channel 10 look at bringing Hulu to Australia? but in the end decided it was not viable?
Still I think licensing issues may kill the service before it gets off the ground here….
vcvv
Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 12:06 PMchannel 9′s “fixplay” sucks anyway, so how should this help?
though i do think hulu in aus is a good idea, but it should be brought here independently which can’t be done because it is a venture between american companies…
what about OUR own unified version of sbs, iview, plus7, ten and fixplay? *nudge nudge aussie broadcasters*
Zac
Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 12:44 PMToo little too late.
A.a. Fussy
Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 9:56 PMI’d be happy to see Hulu come to Ausstralia-even if there’s not as much as content like in the US.
Currently I’ve only been able to view show on Hulu without the use of a VPN (a show called “If I can dream”).
It’s strange then that at least one Channel 9 show is on Hulu (Sea Patrol), so if 9 brought Hulu here, they could at least add some of their own shows to it.
Also I’m betting it’ll won’t be unmetered.
A.a. Fussy
Friday, January 28, 2011 at 9:26 PMLooks like Hulu is still planning on launching in Australia:
“Thanks for your email and your interest in Hulu.
We are actively exploring opportunities to launch our service in multiple countries around the globe and due to the confidential nature of those discussions I am afraid we can’t comment on individual markets.
Best regards,
Simon.”
This came directly from Hulu’s director of international development.
A.a. Fussy
Friday, February 4, 2011 at 9:07 AMAccording to a article in today’s Sydney Morning Herald, Nine has signed a memorandum of understanding with Hulu.