ShortFormBlog

Read a little. Learn a lot. • Tightly-written news, views and stuff • Follow us on Twitter • Be a Facebook Fan • Tumble us!

bad Netflix, which built its suddenly-more-expensive instant streaming business on the back of content from the Starz network, is going to likely lose that content, after the network walked away from the bargaining table Thursday. Netflix’s stock did not react well to this news — it fell by 8 percent today.
worse Now, it looks like they could suddenly have a truly formidable competitor — Dish Network. See, the Dish Network, which bought Blockbuster a while back, is talking to Hulu about a buyout — and making Blockbuster a Netflix competitor. Reed Hastings, prepare to lose sleep over this. source

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Jul 2011 17:25

tags

Tech: Google’s eyeing Hulu, or reasons they might be getting too big

then Back in 2006, Google purchased then-fledgling YouTube for $1.65 billion — its biggest purchase ever at the time. The service has grown massive over the years but has struggled bringing major content creators like Viacom on board — a huge bummer for fans of “The Daily Show” in particular. In fact, Viacom sued YouTube to get them to remove the clips.
now Hulu, a service started in part as a major studio reaction to YouTube’s viral growth, is now in talks with Google, who may buy the company out — and in the process, get the lucrative content deals that have eluded YouTube over the years. (Microsoft and Yahoo are also eyeing the service, by the way.) Will we finally see “The Daily Show” on YouTube again? source

» We don’t know how to feel about this: While we appreciate the fact that Google might make “The Daily Show” happen on YouTube with a buyout like this (though Viacom has pulled their shows from Hulu in the past), if it actually happens, it runs directly into a wall of regulatory scrutiny — as Google’s been feeling the heat lately. While YouTube and Hulu aren’t the only games in town (hi Netflix and Vimeo), together they’re big enough that it would deserve some regulatory scrutiny if it actually happens.

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 Jan 2011 22:30

tags

Biz: Comcast + Hulu – Power to control its investment = Is that enough?

problemComcast wants to buy NBC Universal, but has significant reason to competitively damage online streaming site Hulu, which NBC owns a 30 percent stake in. TV fans are worried.
solutionThe Department of Justice is forcing Comcast out of Hulu boardroom meetings, meaning they have to allow NBC content on Hulu, but otherwise have no influence on the company. source

» Will this be enough? It’s too early to tell, but the Justice Department’s restrictions on Hulu essentially put Comcast in a position of wanting Hulu to succeed, because they won’t be able to sabotage it directly, but their money is still backing it. Comcast’s Executive Vice President David Cohen put it like so: “We continue to have an interest in the growth and advancement of Hulu …and we obviously prefer to maintain our ownership position and our partnership with our content.” Let’s see if this is what actually happens. (thanks popculturebrain)

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

11 Oct 2010 22:23

tags

Culture: On Banksy, “The Simpsons,” News Corp. and YouTube

You can’t be serious. it’s like you’re hiding this. Banksy’s “Simpsons” couch sequence has been the talk of the Web all day. It packs a visceral effect that wears off after the first time, but it mainly works because it’s so out of left field – even for the Simpsons. Anyway, the video that everyone was linking from a YouTube channel called “banksyfilm” – you know, Banksy’s own account. Now it’s been taken down for copyright reasons and people have been told to watch it on Hulu, which, besides the country restrictions, is annoying because they initially didn’t even have the Banksy intro pulled out as a clip. The effect feels akin to censorship, considering the very viral subject matter can no longer be viewed in Asia. (Fortunately, we found another version.) source

02 Sep 2011 19:51

tags

Biz, Tech: Netflix’s crappy day: As its stock falls, a new competitor shows itself

01 Jul 2011 17:25

tags

Tech: Google’s eyeing Hulu, or reasons they might be getting too big

18 Jan 2011 22:30

tags

Biz: Comcast + Hulu – Power to control its investment = Is that enough?

11 Oct 2010 22:23

tags

Culture: On Banksy, “The Simpsons,” News Corp. and YouTube

09 Jun 2010 10:24

tags

Tech: An update on Hulu’s grand scheme to charge you money

23 May 2010 11:33

tags

Culture: Diehard Conan fans fight Leno on all fronts – including Hulu

11 Feb 2010 10:50

tags

Tech: How low can they go? Apple is trying to cut TV show prices

05 Jan 2010 20:27

tags

Tech: We watch a lot of videos, guys, mostly on YouTube

12 Nov 2009 21:43

tags

Culture: Clicker.com wants to be the TV Guide of Internet television

23 Oct 2009 13:36

tags

Tech: Daily Poll: Would you pay money to watch shows on Hulu?