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Hulu, major network’s answer to less than legal streaming sites, has made 9 figure revenues in recent quarters. That hasn’t stopped its owners from recently putting it up for sale. Now the LA Times reports the service may have made presentations for the likes of Microsoft, Google Inc. and Yahoo in hopes of gaining new ownership.
Hulu’s potential sale to the aforementioned suitors could change the service’s trajectory in various ways. For starters, Microsoft’s recent direction revolves around taking over families’ living rooms via the Xbox 360 and slowly getting into the mobile market. Adding Hulu to their repertoire will give them more customers on both fronts in terms of Xbox Live subscriptions and Windows Phone 7 purchases. Moreover, the company would obviously incorporate it heavily into their Windows 8 platform: especially on their upcoming tablets.
Google already has Google TV going for them. Fully integrating Hulu into that space would be a no brainer since it fits right into the company’s online-centric direction. Mountain View doesn’t have much to offer in terms of licensed and original content anyway. Therefore, locking Hulu up in a deal would give them the leverage they need to become more prevalent as a content provider.
Yahoo’s the least prominent contestant of the three yet bear to gain the most from a potential deal. Their service has lost prominence over the years as Google basically drove by them with ease. Buying the service would ostensibly bolster the companies revenues off of Hulu’s embedded ads. LA Times says the site is viewed by reportedly 28 million viewers a month so it’s not like advertisers shell out pennies to buy space. This would, in turn, greatly boost the company’s earnings and enable them to make similar power moves with other prominent online entertainment hubs down the line.
TV’s been slow to change towards predominately hosting content online. Nevertheless, that day will come as long younger generations gravitate towards online entertainment. It may be a rumor but hearing these three big wigs go after Hulu isn’t surprising. We’ll keep you posted Hulu’s new home as soon as we get an update.
