Hulu to drop free tier in next few weeks, become paid-only streaming service

By Parker Hall August 8, 2016

a e networks hulu live tv streaming service ad free — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Video-streaming service Hulu has announced plans to ditch its ad-supported free streaming tier, an option that led many to pay for the service in the first place, in favor of an all-subscription model, according to Variety. The free tier will be slowly phased out over the next few weeks. Cost of the remaining two tiers will stay the same: $7.99 per month with commercials and $11.99 without.

Those resolute in their refusal to pay for content will have a new Hulu-made option, however, as the company has also announced plans to expand its current deal with Yahoo to create a new ad-supported streaming service called Yahoo View.

The new streaming network will show the five most recent installments of shows from ABC, NBC, and Fox slightly more than a week after their original air dates. That service will differ from Hulu’s ad-free one in that it will be desktop-only — meaning those with Smart TVs and streaming boxes will be left out of the Yahoo View loop. The service is already up and running as of Monday morning.

The business decision to drop ad-based streaming and export it elsewhere is a bold move for Hulu, a company whose free level has allowed millions of users access to thousands of episodes of TV shows for nearly a decade. But going subscription-only did seem somewhat inevitable for the company long-term, given that bigger streaming competitors like Netflix make much higher revenues with a paid-only model. The change of strategy was likely fueled by demands from investors, many of whom are cable providers or content makers.

Part owners in Hulu include Disney, 21st Century Fox, and Comcast, as well as Time Warner, which recently announced plans to purchase 10 percent of the internet company.

“For the past couple years, we’ve been focused on building a subscription service that provides the deepest, most personalized content experience possible to our viewers,” said Hulu senior Vice President Ben Smith in a statement. “As we have continued to enhance that offering with new originals, exclusive acquisitions, and movies, the free service became very limited and no longer aligned with the Hulu experience or content strategy.”

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Parker Hall is a writer and musician from Portland, OR. He is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin…

Cars

Teslas will soon be able to stream Netflix and Hulu, Elon Musk says

tesla wants youtube on touchscreens touchscreen

Soon you might be able to binge-watch your favorite show while in your Tesla -- provided your Tesla is parked.
In a tweet on July 27, Tesla founder Elon Musk announced that the ability to stream Netflix and Hulu through the car’s display is on its way: “Ability to stream YouTube & Netflix when car is stopped coming to your Tesla soon! Has an amazingly immersive, cinematic feel due to the comfy seats & surround sound audio,” says Musk.
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1155179932474957825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1155179932474957825&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theverge.com%2F2019%2F7%2F27%2F8932929%2Ftesla-netflix-youtube-elon-musk-self-driving-in-car-display-watch-streaming-video
At E3 earlier this year Musk teased that the ability to stream YouTube via Tesla’s display was coming, so the fact that Hulu and Netflix will one day be available as well isn’t exactly surprising.
Enabling streaming video on the vehicle's central display will happen through a software update. Currently, the screens do not support HTML5, which is required for the services to work. Presumably, version 10 of the software for Tesla’s screens will add that ability. As we noted when Musk made that initial YouTube announcement, by enabling YouTube there was no reason why Tesla couldn’t enable Netflix and Hulu (and other video services) as well.
Tesla has long offered games and other “Easter eggs” on its display. During Musk’s E3 announcement he revealed that Fallout Shelter would be coming to the vehicles in addition to YouTube. Cuphead, 2048, Missile Command, Asteroids, Lunar Lander, and Centipede are already available in the vehicles.
Requiring the vehicles to be parked in order to stream video begs the question of when exactly Musk sees the display being used as a video player.
Of course, it makes sense not to allow someone to be streaming Stranger Things while they’re cruising down the freeway, even with autopilot engaged, but are consumers really interested in strapping in for movie time while they’re inside a vehicle? In a follow-up tweet, Musk suggested that streaming on the road might one day be a possibility:
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1155180120786608128
Until then, it will be interesting to see how the feature is used. Sure, Teslas have “comfy seats” and “surround-sound audio” as Musk suggests in his tweet, but the display is also positioned in such a way that those in the car viewing a movie might not quite get the “immersive cinematic feel” that you’re after -- at least not as immersive as simply getting out of the car and watching the video on your home television instead.

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The best shows on Hulu right now (May 2024)

A man stands behind an old projector, his mouth agape and hand raised in a scene from UFO Factory on Hulu.

There's so much available to stream on Hulu that you might find it tough to choose. There are numerous Emmy-winning shows like The Bear and Dopesick, exciting network procedurals like Will Trent, and compelling new shows like Shōgun and We Were the Lucky Ones. No matter what you're in the mood to watch, you'll be able to find a quality show on Hulu.

When it comes down to decision time, however, narrowing down your watch list from all the available options can be tough. We have put together this list of the best shows on Hulu right now, and keep it consistently fresh so you'll always find something new. If you're looking for that show you forgot about but were meaning to watch, chances are if it's a thrilling drama or a hilarious comedy worth watching, we have it included here. Have a look and find a few shows to add to your watch queue.

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What’s new on Netflix and what’s leaving in May 2024

Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan as Colin and Penelope looking at each other in Bridgerton.

Netflix has generally weathered the aftermath of the 2023 Hollywood strikes better than its streaming rivals. However, Netflix's lineup in May looks significantly weaker than in the recent past. There's a distinct lack of blockbuster movies from other studios. Even Netflix's original series are slowing down this month. The most significant arrival is Bridgerton season 3, and Netflix is splitting that season into two parts, making fans wait until June to get some closure.

There are other highlights, including Jerry Seinfeld's Unfrosted, Blood of Zeus, and the complete run of the animated spy comedy Archer. But compared to the shows and movies that Netflix had earlier in 2024, it's really lackluster.