Hulu Introduces Ad-Free Subscription Plan for $12 a Month

[Makosuke]

Stop whining. The studios offer all those exception shows without ads right now. Open iTunes and buy them. Problem solved.

That's true, but doesn't really relate to my preferring a straightforward business model to a mixed one when being offered a service. It has less to do with these things being available somewhere as a product rather than an advertising medium as Hulu offering a service that isn't entirely what it's purporting to be.

I can (and do) buy video outright (I in fact have a large video collection), but if I'm using a streaming service, I relatively speaking pay less in exchange for the fact that I pay continually, I can't watch if I stop paying, and any given show may not be there next week whether I pay or not.

If the stream is ad-free, then I'm theoretically paying with my time and attention. The business model is also entirely different, in that the streamer--like broadcast networks--are in the business of selling my attention to the advertisers, and having good content is just an effective way to get high-quality product to sell.

If the stream is paid but also has ads, then I'm hopefully paying some cash so I have to spend less of my time and attention on advertising for the same product. The business model then becomes more like cable networks, where they have two products that are being sold simultaneously--TV shows for which viewers are paying to watch, and TV viewer attention for which advertisers are paying.

If the stream is 100% ad-free and I'm paying for it, then the only payment is cash and the business model is now exclusively selling me as the customer a TV show. I'm no longer the product at all.

On one hand, you could argue that it's unfair to make every person who wants to pay as a customer for ad-free streaming an extra $1 per month just because of seven really expensive shows. It's the same argument that cable broadcasters who ditched ESPN are making. It's just that instead of choosing to charge the people who want to watch that "package" of high-end shows more money, they're being priced higher by adding advertising to them.

The reason I don't like it is that I'm now being sold a premium streaming service that's still in the mixed-revenue business model, rather than allowing me to opt to be 100% customer. From an

 

[Negritude]

Question: Do the ads on Hulu also play during movies (not just TV)?

The only thing I want Hulu Plus for is streaming access to The Criterion Collection, but what I don't want is the experience of these classic films being disturbed by commercials.

Can someone tell me whether commercials normally exist everywhere at the $7.99 level, including movies?

 

[4jasontv]

Just a 15 second pre-roll and post-roll due to contractual issues apparently. (The networks probably signed a deal with another cable or digital provider that dictates that it can't be shown commercial-free anywhere else)

I don't watch any of those shows, but I ain't worried about no 15 second pre-roll anyway

So to summarize your reply, "yes".

 

[Akzel]

I'd be more interested if they said they were going to stream ALL shows to ALL devices. I'm tired of trying to watch SyFy shows on my Nexus Player and not being able to, because apparently some shows are computer-only.
What's the point??

 

[DustinLH00]

Question: Do the ads on Hulu also play during movies (not just TV)?

The only thing I want Hulu Plus for is streaming access to The Criterion Collection, but what I don't want is the experience of these classic films being disturbed by commercials.

Can someone tell me whether commercials normally exist everywhere at the $7.99 level, including movies?

I'd be more interested if they said they were going to stream ALL shows to ALL devices. I'm tired of trying to watch SyFy shows on my Nexus Player and not being able to, because apparently some shows are computer-only.
What's the point??

On a related note, it appears that they do a really ****** job of informing you of these things on their website. Is there anywhere that shows what shows/movies have commercials or what streams to what devices? I hate when companies expect you to pay first and ask questions later...

 

[dysamoria]

Hulu a bunch of BS. Just like movie theaters, people PAY to watch advertising. I don't go to theaters any more because the ads have become insane. I was incredulous when I found out that Hulu's PAY service still shows ads (interrupting the program, even).

Television is a disaster. I stopped watching it years ago.

Netflix or DVDs. That's ALL I watch. And Netflix's content selection isn't exactly excellent.

 

[Izauze]

So to summarize your reply, "yes".

If you say so.

 

[C DM]

Hulu a bunch of BS. Just like movie theaters, people PAY to watch advertising. I don't go to theaters any more because the ads have become insane. I was incredulous when I found out that Hulu's PAY service still shows ads (interrupting the program, even).

Television is a disaster. I stopped watching it years ago.

Netflix or DVDs. That's ALL I watch. And Netflix's content selection isn't exactly excellent.

To each his/her own.

 

[z31fanatic]

Did no one else catch that it's actually $13.99 if you sign up in iOS?
I had to laugh at that one.

 

[ewkp]

Wow, even the ad-free tier has ads. Brilliant.

yes, but not once the show starts. only before and after which is similar to hbo and showtime.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Was with you until the last word...

What alternative would you suggest?

 

[HiRez]

It's 15 seconds before the show (and the one after the show can be ignored since no one cares about it and can easily avoid it) and only for a few shows. Nothing during the shows themselves. Mostly "outrage" for the sake of outrage.

Even if you accept that, who knows if it'll stay that way. Remember when there were no ads on YouTube content? Then there were some pop-up subframes you had to dismiss. Then more of them. Then short preroll ads. Then longer preroll ads.

How long before someone decides well, if 15 seconds is OK, what about 20? Maybe 2 10-second ads. Who is going to notice? What about 30 seconds? It's not much different than 20 right? If it works for the current "exception list" shows, what about if we add it to a few more of them? At some point, some sales weenie is going to try to push it as far as possible, it's what they do.

 

[HiRez]

yes, but not once the show starts. only before and after which is similar to hbo and showtime.

But HBO you can at least fast-forward past the preroll trailer. Plus it's a promotion of another HBO show; to me, it feels less invasive than an ad.

 

[Izauze]

That's true, but doesn't really relate to my preferring a straightforward business model to a mixed one when being offered a service. It has less to do with these things being available somewhere as a product rather than an advertising medium as Hulu offering a service that isn't entirely what it's purporting to be.

Fine. Imagine you're Mr. Hulu. Everyone's yelling at you "We hate ads, gahrr!!" But you know $7.99 isn't enough to be able to get all those shows and current seasons without some additional revenue in the mix. You cry yourself to sleep every night wondering how you can make them like you.

Then one day Mrs. Hulu says to you, "Why don't you just charge a few dollars more and then at least they'll have a choice?"

Brilliant! So you ask your friends, Mr. Disney, Miss Fox, and Dr. Comcast, and they say "Gee Mr. Hulu, you're one of our bestest friends, but we already promised Rev. Distributor (running out of titles here) that he could have exclusive rights to commercial-free distribution for these 5 shows!" Again, tears.

So Mr. Hulu, what do you do? Either completely scrap your plans to offer a commercial free option, curl into a ball and imagine living the rest of your poor miserable life this way... Or pull yourself up by the seat of your alien-green pants and say "I'm going to launch this new plan anyway! After all, these are my people! And it's only like 15 seconds we're talking about here! Surely as long I'm honest and straightforward about it with them when they're signing up, they'll understand and won't all run to internet forums and act like a bunch of crybaby outrage-addicted @&$holes!"

Your move.

 

[RadioGaGa1984]

And $13.99 thru iOS subsciptions. Pass.

 

[Izauze]

$13.99 thru iOS subsciptions

Just don't sign up through iTunes. I get that Apple takes a 30% cut for apps, but for media subscriptions like these it doesn't really make sense. Same with Spotify.

 

[C DM]

Even if you accept that, who knows if it'll stay that way. Remember when there were no ads on YouTube content? Then there were some pop-up subframes you had to dismiss. Then more of them. Then short preroll ads. Then longer preroll ads.

How long before someone decides well, if 15 seconds is OK, what about 20? Maybe 2 10-second ads. Who is going to notice? What about 30 seconds? It's not much different than 20 right? If it works for the current "exception list" shows, what about if we add it to a few more of them? At some point, some sales weenie is going to try to push it as far as possible, it's what they do.

The other thing I would wa

Slippery slope...always makes for a good rational approach to things.

 

[tonyr6]

I can't believe so many people defend Hulu. It is the worst streaming service ever. You pay and you get ads and not just short ads but the most annoying ads like car ads, best buy crap I never buy from best buy and medical ads and yet people defend it like it is so great.

I though paying a bit more would get rid of all ads but no and you know how pre-rolls start. One ad 15 seconds no big deal. Then it goes to 30 seconds. The 2 ads. Then more. It is like that with any service that start out ad free.

 

[C DM]

I can't believe so many people defend Hulu. It is the worst streaming service ever. You pay and you get ads and not just short ads but the most annoying ads like car ads, best buy crap I never buy from best buy and medical ads and yet people defend it like it is so great.

I though paying a bit more would get rid of all ads but no and you know how pre-rolls start. One ad 15 seconds no big deal. Then it goes to 30 seconds. The 2 ads. Then more. It is like that with any service that start out ad free.

Where is the 30 second or the 2nd pre-roll add?

 

[ZackVLion]

Even if you accept that, who knows if it'll stay that way. Remember when there were no ads on YouTube content? Then there were some pop-up subframes you had to dismiss. Then more of them. Then short preroll ads. Then longer preroll ads.

How long before someone decides well, if 15 seconds is OK, what about 20? Maybe 2 10-second ads. Who is going to notice? What about 30 seconds? It's not much different than 20 right? If it works for the current "exception list" shows, what about if we add it to a few more of them? At some point, some sales weenie is going to try to push it as far as possible, it's what they do.

If that happens then you can just cancel it...It's not like theres a contract or anything....Or you could not want to sign up for a service because of what might happen 3 years from now in your head.

 

[73b]

Pay $8 and you get ads?
Pay $12 and you still get ads?

This is as bad a deal as cable TV. It makes no freaking sense. Either give it to me for free with ads, or name your price and give it to me ad-free. Paying and still being subjected to ads is beyond retarded.

Cable TV you pay a lot more than $12 and still get commercials everywhere.

 

[philbo7]

Question: Do the ads on Hulu also play during movies (not just TV)?

The only thing I want Hulu Plus for is streaming access to The Criterion Collection, but what I don't want is the experience of these classic films being disturbed by commercials.

Can someone tell me whether commercials normally exist everywhere at the $7.99 level, including movies?

I've watched a couple of the movies in The Criterion Collection and there were no ads whatsoever. I'm like you in that I signed up for Hulu Plus more for classic movies than TV shows. I plan on keeping the cheaper Hulu Plus...

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Cable TV you pay a lot more than $12 and still get commercials everywhere.

While true, you get live TV with cable. Hulu doesn't offer that.

Although now that I think about it, I really wouldn't mind getting everything on demand ~6 hours after it airs. A lot of shows I enjoy come on late at night and I tend to just watch it when I wake up in the morning rather than staying up late to see it when it airs live.

 

[4jasontv]

If you say so.

Did I misunderstand your post? It sounds like you said yes they still have ads, and then spent the rest of the text justifying why it wasn't a big deal.

 

[RadioGaGa1984]

Just don't sign up through iTunes. I get that Apple takes a 30% cut for apps, but for media subscriptions like these it doesn't really make sense. Same with Spotify.

I do better than that I don't sign up at all.