HULU: Developing a streaming service including FS1 for cord cutters

[milwaukeejedi1]

"According to The Wall Street Journal (http://www.wsj.com/articles/hulu-is-developing-a-cable-style-online-tv-service-1462150982#:jEaK7oklV0CpeA), the online streaming service is developing a service that would allow subscribers to live stream broadcast and cable television channels. WSJ reports that Disney-owned ABC, ESPN and Disney Channel are already on board, as are FOX, Fox News, FX and FS1."

http://awfulannouncing.com/2016/hulu-is-developing-a-service-to-let-you-watch-live-broadcast-and-cable-tv-online.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=hulu-is-developing-a-service-to-let-you-watch-live-broadcast-and-cable-tv-online

[AlexJesswein]

Sony Vue is also a nice option..has ESPN, FS1, NBCSN

[Goose85]

At some point is HULU going to get enough content that the fee will raise to the point of being equivalent to cable? I guess my question is, are we going to end up paying the same amount, just to HULU instead of Time Warner or Dish Network?

[IWB]

This is more proof that LW was right about one thing, these massive tv football deals won't live out the life of their contracts as internet based programs etc will change the way things are done.

[Djgoldnboy]

At some point is HULU going to get enough content that the fee will raise to the point of being equivalent to cable? I guess my question is, are we going to end up paying the same amount, just to HULU instead of Time Warner or Dish Network?

Exactly my thought........just a different delivery method......all these $5-$9 subscriptions for Hulu Plus, Netflix, etc add up.....pretty soon it's to the price of if you just had regular cable.

[MUwarrior1090]

Am I missing something, or is this just the equivalent to Fox Sports Go? The only difference being Hulu is a more recognizable platform?

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

Exactly my thought........just a different delivery method......all these $5-$9 subscriptions for Hulu Plus, Netflix, etc add up.....pretty soon it's to the price of if you just had regular cable.

Yeah...it's a lot of subscriptions to get to the $160-200 some people have to pay monthly. I'm definitely in a hate relationship with providers right now...DirecTV is too expensive, TWC has horrible customer service, and with the AT&T/DirecTV merger, I'm not even sure what my switching options are or how it would alter my bundles.

[MU/Panther]

Am I missing something, or is this just the equivalent to Fox Sports Go? The only difference being Hulu is a more recognizable platform?
That's how I take it. Streaming is slow and freezes. I'll stick with TWC and my $144 bill.

[Awilhelmscream]

Yeah...it's a lot of subscriptions to get to the $160-200 some people have to pay monthly. I'm definitely in a hate relationship with providers right now...DirecTV is too expensive, TWC has horrible customer service, and with the AT&T/DirecTV merger, I'm not even sure what my switching options are or how it would alter my bundles.

Again, to echo someone above, Sony VUE is the way to go. No contract, month to month, streaming cable service. The biggest package they offer is 49.99/month and it comes with all of the sports channels the wife and I need. Once football and basketball are over we go down to the middle package because the wife needs AMC for Walking Dead. You can adjust accordingly with that which is real nice.

I want to say the premium channels are $5-8/month if you want those. The content in the packages vary from area to area but definitely check it out.

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

I feel like at some point they will switch to a package where you select what channels you do and don't want and pay for just those. That way people only pay for what they want, and don't pay for the filler, would seem to be the best way to keep costs semi-reasonable and still make money. Then ratings will truly matter.

[farmerdoc]

Not really sure about that. How much are you willing to pay to watch one show? Do shows with great ratings become AlaCarte some day?

Feels like the death of network programming at some point.

[MU/Panther]

Again, to echo someone above, Sony VUE is the way to go. No contract, month to month, streaming cable service. The biggest package they offer is 49.99/month and it comes with all of the sports channels the wife and I need. Once football and basketball are over we go down to the middle package because the wife needs AMC for Walking Dead. You can adjust accordingly with that which is real nice.

I want to say the premium channels are $5-8/month if you want those. The content in the packages vary from area to area but definitely check it out. Wow, just look it up. Other than not having CBSSN, they do have most sports channels.

[Awilhelmscream]

Wow, just look it up. Other than not having CBSSN, they do have most sports channels.

We actually get CBSSN here in South Carolina. We're missing some things my buddies up north get though.

[MU/Panther]

We actually get CBSSN here in South Carolina. We're missing some things my buddies up north get though. Good to pass on, for those who have only one TV. I'm guessing if you have 2 to 4 TV's this is not the way to go?

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

Not really sure about that. How much are you willing to pay to watch one show? Do shows with great ratings become AlaCarte some day?

Feels like the death of network programming at some point.

It wouldn't be by show, it would be by channel, so for example if you want ESPN you would be X amount of dollars per month, if you also want FS1 you would pay Y amount per month... So you pick and choose and maybe your bill comes out to $70/month as opposed to $140 and you get just the channels you want.

[Awilhelmscream]

Good to pass on, for those who have only one TV. I'm guessing if you have 2 to 4 TV's this is not the way to go?

Not necessarily true. I personally play video games so I've got a PS4 and PS3 each in different rooms at this point. We're going to buy the Amazon Fire box for the other TV we have. The way I understand it is you can get the service if you have a Sony Smart TV through their app store, the Playstation App store, and the Amazon App store for the Fire Box. Fire Boxes are under $100.

Right now our cable bill is $115/month because we have to get the ridiculous sports package down here to watch our sports teams. A $60 reduction in our monthly bill will pay for that Fire Box pretty quickly. Not sure what the performance difference is between the 3 options. I know you can tell a slight difference in performance on the PS4 vs the PS3 simply due to processing power but not sure on the others.

http://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Fire-TV-Streaming-Media-Player/dp/B00U3FPN4U

[farmerdoc]

It wouldn't be by show, it would be by channel, so for example if you want ESPN you would be X amount of dollars per month, if you also want FS1 you would pay Y amount per month... So you pick and choose and maybe your bill comes out to $70/month as opposed to $140 and you get just the channels you want.

I understand that, but I guess I wasn't specific enough. Would you buy a whole channel just for one show?

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

I understand that, but I guess I wasn't specific enough. Would you buy a whole channel just for one show?

I mean that is a personal decision for everyone, for me I really only watch TV to watch sports, I have no shows I watch so I would want FS1, NFL Sunday Ticket, & ESPN. That's about it... instead I pay DirectTV to get a million channels I never watch.

[farmerdoc]

I mean that is a personal decision for everyone, for me I really only watch TV to watch sports, I have no shows I watch so I would want FS1, NFL Sunday Ticket, & ESPN. That's about it... instead I pay DirectTV to get a million channels I never watch.

For a family, I could see the Ala Carte style being very expensive. I don't see cable/satellite going anywhere too fast. If the streaming services offer package/ala carte combos, that might make a dent in the market more quickly.

I could see very popular shows going to on demand/alacarte status.

[MayorBeluga]

Goung alacarte will create some interesting combinations. For example, Caribou's mixing of sports channels, the leggy supermodel channel and the various Real Housewives of Vilas County shows would be, um, curious.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

For a family, I could see the Ala Carte style being very expensive. I don't see cable/satellite going anywhere too fast. If the streaming services offer package/ala carte combos, that might make a dent in the market more quickly.

I could see very popular shows going to on demand/alacarte status.

The problem with ala carte is that it would probably kill a lot of channels. They all have investors that count on them being in the package. Guessing true ala carte will either be as long way off or so cost prohibitive that it's really not worth it.

[lj854]

Guessing true ala carte will either be as long way off or so cost prohibitive that it's really not worth it.

Cost is the biggest issue. All the people watching HGTV, MTV, et al actually help subsidize ESPN, etc WAY more than sports fans help defray the cost of those channels for non-sports fans.

[milwaukeejedi1]

http://www.theverge.com/2016/4/13/11420522/sling-tv-fox-channel-package-announced-no-disney-espn

"Dish's Sling TV is adding Fox channels to its programming lineup, but they're not going to be part of the existing $20 package. Instead, and this is pretty strange, Sling is launching a new, second $20-per-month subscription package that includes Fox's broadcast network (in select markets only), Fox Sports, FX, and the YES Network. Those come on top of Sling's other channels like A&E, CNN, AMC, HGTV, and Adult Swim, among others..."