Hulu Bringing CBS-Owned Networks to Live TV Service, Which Will Be Priced 'Under $40' Per Month

[MacRumors]

Hulu and CBS have reached an agreement that will bring CBS-owned channels to Hulu's upcoming live-streaming service, as well as grant subscribers on-demand access to recent episodes of popular CBS shows like Mom and The Big Bang Theory (via The Wall Street Journal). Full access to current and past seasons of these shows will remain on CBS All Access.

The current deal includes user access to CBS Sports Network and Pop, a pop culture focused network, with the potential for more CBS networks -- like CBS's Smithsonian Channel and The CW -- to be added down the line. Although unspecified, it's also predicted that Hulu will continue to offer the CBS-owned premium network Showtime as an add-on within its new live-streaming package. Current Hulu subscribers can purchase Showtime for $8.99 on top of their monthly Hulu cost.

According to people close to the deal, CBS will receive "more than $3 per monthly subscriber" at the service's launch, with the multiyear contract signaling the potential for the network's take to rise above $4.

The streaming service aims to offer a more personalized, intuitive version of cable TV than that offered by traditional pay-TV distributors and even newer streaming entrants. At launch, Hulu's offering will also include a cloud-based digital video recorder and many local station affiliates.

CBS's pact with Hulu shows that at least for now the network is finding a way to have its cake and eat it, too--striking deals with distributors while maintaining a stand-alone streaming service with some 1.2 million subscribers. Moreover, the deal with Hulu involves CBS's direct rivals; the streaming service is owned by Disney, Fox, Comcast and Time Warner.

During the announcement at an investor conference this week, Hulu Chief Executive Mike Hopkins also mentioned that the service is set to cost users "under $40" per month. The service will include Hulu's existing video content library as well, which now includes a wide selection of movies from Disney.

Word of Hulu's upcoming live-streaming service began spreading last May, when it was said that the company's new subscription plan would directly introduce it as "a competitor to traditional pay-TV providers," in addition to on-demand streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime. Hulu's unnamed cable-like service will now be backed with channels from CBS, Walt Disney, Time Warner, Fox, and NBC.

Hulu will be entering a steadily growing and competitive market with its live-streaming service. Both Sling TV and DirecTV NOW are available to users on the iOS and Apple TV App Stores for streaming and viewing live television networks without the need for a traditional cable subscription. In the past, Apple tried to launch its own $30-$40 TV service but became "frustrated" and ultimately shelved the plans after failing to find mutually advantageous ways to work with network programmers.

Article Link: Hulu Bringing CBS-Owned Networks to Live TV Service, Which Will Be Priced 'Under $40' Per Month

 

[Eduardo1971]

Hopefully DIRECTV Now will soon have access to CBS content.

I got DIRECTV Now with the Apple TV offer and I'm enjoying the service.

Not having CBS wasn't a 'make it or break it' situation for me so I'm fine with it.

 

[Zorn]

"Under $40" reads to me as $39.99 a month. Not terrible since it includes the paid Hulu service as well as cloud DVR, but I really hate CBS and couldn't care less about their shows. I think DirecTV Now has the best lineup and price currently, but their service is completely broken with QP1508 errors every 10 minutes, and they have no DVR.

 

[garylapointe]

Under $40?

That's not anything super and without any other details, seems like a lot!

 

[macduke]

I tried Sling TV and the interface and lag were pretty bad. DirecTV Now is way better and has more content, but it still suffers from timing out and necessitates I force quit the app on my Apple TV just to get it to start streaming again. I'm hoping that can be fixed soon, but if not, I'll definitely consider Hulu's streaming service. Especially since it has CBS, which is one of the few things missing from DirecTV Now. I'm interested in watching the new Star Trek TV series, and it would be REALLY tempting if I could watch Chiefs games on CBS Sports. I'm paid up on DirecTV now for three months since I did the Apple TV deal, so I'm sticking with that for the time being. But I'm glad that more players are getting into this market. As I've said for years, it's only a matter of time. Streaming is where it's at. We already pay for Hulu, so if we got all the other benefits of Hulu plus the live streaming, then that would be an even better deal.

 

[Return Zero]

$40? I'd consider if:

Ad-free except on live channels
Massive on-demand selection, perhaps with full Disney library
Complete ESPN network family
Free streaming device included with sign up
No contracts or cancellation terms
Full live viewing with immediate replay on shows

Otherwise I'll stick with my DirecTV Now promotional price. I've been pretty happy with the service and they are updating to make it better regularly. I get the local channels with an antenna just fine.

 

[Small White Car]

CBS was all geared up to use the new 'Star Trek' as a lure for getting people to sign up for their stand-alone CBS service.

Is this a sign of them giving in and finally partnering with someone? If so, great. I'm way more likely to do this than pay for their own service.

But if not, and they hold some content back, it's not worth it.

 

[mattopotamus]

Hopefully DIRECTV Now will soon have access to CBS content.

I got DIRECTV Now with the Apple TV offer and I'm enjoying the service.

Not having CBS wasn't a 'make it or break it' situation for me so I'm fine with it.

I wouldn't bank on it with the fee they are taking.

 

[TallManNY]

I'm doing Sling these days because they have Yes channel which has my sports team's games. If this gets me more and better content I will probably add it to my current Hulu subscription. Cost is pretty meaningless. I just want content on my Apple TV and I refuse to run wires and rent cable boxes throughout my house when I have super fast wifi and nice interface with Apple TV.

 

[jdillings]

More competition is always good for the consumer

 

[awer25]

$40 is far too much. It's back in the realm of regular cable TV, just with less content.

 

[BruiserB]

I'm getting CBS (and PBS, NBC, Fox, ABC, etc) for free with my TabloTV and I get DVR too. I did have to buy the device and subscribe to the guide service (which I did with a single lifetime payment). Now I've added DirecTV Now and I really have all I need. CBS trying to be exclusive is a joke to me.

 

[Tony_YYZ]

So....$39.99?

 

[Rigby]

Hulu is great, but I really don't see why I should pay so much more to get live TV. I am currently trialing DirecTV Now, and I find myself still using Hulu much more, mostly because it's commercial-free. I basically only use DTVN for news, but that's hardly worth adding $30 or so to the existing fee. I don't really see why anyone would want to watch recorded shows on live TV these days when they are available on demand.

 

[gorkt]

Hrm....I am doing the Direct TV now three month deal for $35, and I really like it, but the two main gaps in the service are Cloud DVR and CBS. I also have commercial free Hulu, and it is great, and in a way sort of acts as a DVR since it holds recent seasons of many shows. If the Hulu acts as a combination of those two services for $40 a month, I am in.

This is going to be an interesting year for streaming services.

 

[AdonisSMU]

I pay $35/Mo for DirecTVNow and I purchase Hulu

 

[nwcs]

With all these streaming services looking for more value to charge more it almost makes you locked back into the same costs/problems as cable. Hulu looked like a good offering once but Netflix + Prime are much more my style.

 

[nightowl]

Hulu and CBS have reached an agreement that will bring CBS-owned channels to Hulu's upcoming live-streaming service, as well as grant subscribers on-demand access to recent episodes of popular CBS shows like Mom and The Big Bang Theory (via The Wall Street Journal). Full access to current and past seasons of these shows will remain on CBS All Access.

Full access to current and past seasons of Mom and BBT aren't currently available on CBS All Access, only the last 5 or so episodes. They are owned by Warner. CBS does, however, have full seasons of their own shows, and a ton of older content that they own.

However, getting the current Hulu content plus the other networks' live and on demand offerings will be a pretty compelling offering, and under $40, could save us some extra cash. I don't currently subscribe to Hulu, but have, and will again. As long as they keep their partnership with Epix and Disney, they will have a good selection movies on demand, which nicely complements the content from their live service.

It would also be nice to either get the current Hulu commercial free included, or available for less than $10 a month extra (I would pay $5 gladly, $10 is the upper limit).

 

[usersince86]

I get live TV from broadcast networks for free. Old school antenna.

(We also have Netflix and Sling.)

 

[Juicy Box]

with the potential for more CBS networks -- like CBS's Smithsonian Channel and The CW -- to be added down the line.

During the announcement at an investor conference this week, Hulu Chief Executive Mike Hopkins also mentioned that the service is set to cost users "under $40" per month. The service will include Hulu's existing video content library as well, which now includes a wide selection of movies from Disney.

I am not sure if I am missing something, but is this article saying that Hulu will have a streaming service, that will have Hulu's current content, with some movies from Disney, and now CBS? and maybe CW and Showtime sometime in the future?

Why would anyone pay $40 for this? Unless it is way under $40.....

I am sure I am missing something.

 

[patseguin]

I wonder if you still need to use the separate CBS All Access app to watch Star Trek Discovery...

 

[mcfly88]

Currently on Hulu's commercial free option for $12 a month and loving it. Along with Netflix and HBO... I honestly haven't missed cable at all for the last 4+ years.

Depending on the channels, I might give this a go.. even then though, not sure if live TV is something I really need.

 

[nightowl]

With all these streaming services looking for more value to charge more it almost makes you locked back into the same costs/problems as cable. Hulu looked like a good offering once but Netflix + Prime are much more my style.

I don't think it's anything like the cable issues. There are so many services now offering a variety of content, you can pick and choose those that provide value just to you. Yes, there are several that look like cable, but they are a lot cheaper than cable, and have no extra fees tacked on. There's still more to come, and there will also be a shakeout of the services at some point. The great thing about being delivered via internet is that there are theoretically an infinite amount of services that can be offered, and you can sub to whatever you want. Don't like your current service? Just cancel and sign up with someone else and see how that suits you.

All that being said, I still don't see the perfect service for me out there yet. Hulu looks to be getting close, however.

 

[maflynn]

Seems like a poor deal to me. 40 dollars is pricey, add in other subscription costs for streaming it this could easily be much more expensive then what I'm already paying

 

[dbc34]

I have PS Vue and the only thing I'm missing is CBS. I am in Houston, so I get the other network channels, but can't watch CBS football without paying the $5/month app on tvOS. It's not a killer, $45/month total, but would be nice if i could get all my network channels and ESPN in one place.