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clrmoney
5/8/2017 10:45:45 AM
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Hulu joins Skinny TV service
This is great for Hulu then and offering $40.00 per month and what al they have to offer. I'm sure we''ll here from their progress soon of how their doing.
Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
$40 a month sounds a little steep, especially for viewers that have multiple OTT subscriptions.
Adi
5/9/2017 8:51:45 AM
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Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
Kelsey Ziser - Indeed. It's a tricky balance -- you need to pack in enough to bring in the punters, but then your programming costs add up, so now it's too expensive. I think we're going to see a lot of that happen in the next few years.
TDC's approach as explained by Clara Mai Kunstmann is interesting: Let each channel set it's price, let consumers buy vouchers, and use as many as they like for whatever channel they want. Then it's a competitive market, where the consumer is directly selecting -- and paying for -- the chanel they want.
Michelle
5/9/2017 10:51:10 AM
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Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
@Kelsey That's exactly what I thought! We subscribe to multiple streaming channels and the $55 price tag for ad-free content w/Hulu isn't attractive AT ALL.
I don't like Hulu's model of showing fewer commercials to paying subscribers. You must get the higher package to watch ad-free. Some content isn't included in the ad-free agreement so you still see ads, even with the higher subscription.
dcawrey
5/9/2017 2:02:47 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
This pricing sure is good. I just signed up for the Sling Blue and Orange packages, which cost $40 a month. It's got on-demand as well. Lots of content, but I feel it is too expensive. Maybe if it were $30 I would be okay with it. You would also think Sling would still be making money at that tier as well.
Michelle
5/15/2017 11:06:42 PM
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Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
I think $40 a month would sound best if you have no other streaming subscriptions and don't have cable. Perhaps that's the consumer they're targeting...
mhhf1ve
5/9/2017 2:30:57 PM
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Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
The pricing of this Hulu package seems to include users sharing their passwords with extended family, I think. Otherwise, I can't see how this is cost effective for individuals.
Has any Hulu original content been that successful? I'm trying to think if I've seen anything on Hulu that might compete with HBO or Netflix.... or even Amazon. The Man in the High Castle was pretty good....
Ariella
5/10/2017 6:15:51 PM
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Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
@mhhf1ve wouldn't that reflect the reality for most families? We don't subscribe to something like that, but I'd imagine that they would use one subscription to deliver content to everyone in the household.
mhhf1ve
5/11/2017 1:00:53 AM
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Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
There are some ways to "restrict" family sharing of passwords -- making only one simultaneous streaming video available at a time. Tracking IP addresses and making it difficult to use more than one, or to restrict the number of devices that can be used with the service....
Ariella
5/11/2017 11:29:11 AM
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Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
<hought leaders in the artificial intelligence space agree: machine learning is the best and only way for marketers to engage with their existing customers at the point of action or intent, propelling customer to the next best interaction with the brand."> @mhhf1ve but I'm sure customers would balk at that. May people use multiple devices themselves today, and they will want to be able to access their subscription wherever they happen to be -- even if they're using somoene else's computer.
mhhf1ve
5/11/2017 1:37:37 PM
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Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
Netflix, I think, has experimented with this kind of "restricted" usage. They track usage and target some people using VPNs to give them warnings about sharing accounts. And Netflix definitely limits simultaneous streams to a single account. That's probably the most effective tactic.
Ariella
5/11/2017 1:44:23 PM
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Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
@mhhf1ve I thought Netflix also allows for different people on the subscription. Yes, I looked it up, and found there are plans that allow for this:
What is simultaneous viewing — streaming only
This is a huge perk for Netflix streaming customers who want to share their Netflix account with roommates, friends, or family. The basic Netflix plan allows you to stream content on only one screen at a time, though the number of screens on which you can simultaneously stream content increases with each plan upgrade. Ergo, if you opt for the standard plan, you use the same account to watch content on two different devices at once, or four different devices at the same time with the premium plan. That said, the number of devices and people you want to share your account with will likely influence which plan you pick.
Read more: https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/netflix-cost-pricing-plan-breakdown/#ixzz4gnFI8mVQ
mhhf1ve
5/11/2017 1:57:14 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
Right. You gotta pay more if you want to stream more than one simultaneous show at a time.. That's how Netflix sorta got around account sharing -- by making it legit, as long as you paid more for sharing more than you really should.
Ariella
5/11/2017 2:09:43 PM
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Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
@mhhf1ve well, it is fair, and the difference in price is not likely to kill the deal for subscribers who want to allow their family members access.
batye
5/11/2017 9:23:04 PM
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Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
@Ariella interesting to know, thanks for the link... I do see Netflix does gain momentum in Canada...
Ariella
5/12/2017 10:30:15 AM
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Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
A WSJ article declares that Hulu is the future of TV: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-new-hulu-looks-a-lot-like-the-future-of-tv-1494433910:
What Hulu gets right is that the live TV channel is dying—and needs to be replaced by something that looks a lot more like Netflix . Instead of listing what's on 50 channels, Hulu opens up with a focus on one thing it thinks you'd most like to watch. Flick up for a different recommendation. It makes no distinction between the live big game, stuff from your DVR or on-demand episodes of "The Golden Girls."
Hulu isn't the only service to recognize we need fewer choices, not more. YouTube TV, the Google live service that launched last month, puts search, trending shows and personalized suggestions front and center. Sling TV's home screen has evolved to include the stuff you watch most. Even Comcast is leading traditional cable companies to adapt with a new X1 cable box that offers "for you" recommendations, plus a voice-commanded remote.
mhhf1ve
5/13/2017 1:22:17 AM
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Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
> "WSJ article declares that Hulu is the future of TV"
I think WSJ gets it.. but it's a little late. Netflix *already* does what Hulu is now shifting to. Even YouTube does it. Algorithmic recommendations have replaced TV channels. Sure. However, Hulu isn't on the cutting edge, it's maybe in 4th place behind YouTube, Netflix and Amazon... and it isn't as well funded or supported.
So that WSJ headline should be more like "Algorithms are the future of TV, and Hulu is catching up"...
Ariella
5/13/2017 9:23:12 PM
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Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
<So that WSJ headline should be more like "Algorithms are the future of TV, and Hulu is catching up".>
@mhhf1ve that would be more accurate but not as catchy. Headlines tend to state things in more absolute terms than are actually warranted by the facts, I notice.
Michelle
5/15/2017 11:10:06 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
@mhh The Handmaiden's Tale is getting a lot of press, but I don't think it's so popular that it's driving new subscriptions. What show did Netflix have that drove new subscriptions a year or so ago? Anything on Hulu hasn't come close (as far as I know).
mhhf1ve
5/15/2017 11:48:22 PM
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Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
Netflix has the Marvel universe to keep ppl interested in it. There are at least three intertwined superhero shows that will combine next year...
dlr5288
5/31/2017 4:53:07 PM
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Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
It's definitely a smart move on Netflix's part! There's not many things that are more popular than super heroes.
mhhf1ve
6/1/2017 11:05:36 AM
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Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
> "The Handmaiden's Tale is getting a lot of press, but I don't think it's so popular that it's driving new subscriptions."
@michelle -- I just started watching that show... and yah, it's okay, but not quite at the same level as HBO or Netflix's greatest hits. I think it might drive a few subscriptions, but it's not that binge-worthy.
Michelle
6/9/2017 1:44:15 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
@mhh Thanks for the update. I'll be sure to skip it and read the book instead. There are plenty of other shows waiting to be watched in my various watchlists...
Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
@Michelle/@mhh: I think that, for the most part, it's all of these original shows in the aggregate that largely help drive new subscriptions.
Or, in other words, maybe you don't order a Netflix subscription *just* for House of Cards, but maybe you order a Netflix subscription because you keep seeing all these great things about House of Cards, OITNB, Stranger Things, 13 Reasons Why, and Norm McDonald's new comedy special.
Michelle
6/9/2017 1:46:16 PM
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Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
@Joe You may be right about that. The buzz around multiple hit shows could be the driver behind new subscription. I remember when Netflix streaming content was very disappointing - they've come a long way.
mhhf1ve
6/9/2017 3:07:27 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
@joe - exactly. Netflix has a pretty good bunch of "must see" shows that drive some subscriptions. Hulu.. has a couple, maybe? Amazon has a couple, too.. maybe? I'm not sure if it requires billions to be spent on content production, but Netflix certainly has a lead over Hulu and Amazon in original programming.
afwriter
5/10/2017 11:41:02 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
I am in the camp that is not willing to pay $40, I hope that Hulu's new model doesn't mean that their old model is dead. There is also an issue with market saturation. What is Hulu really offering that I can't get somewhere else?
Michelle
5/15/2017 11:12:53 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
@afwriter I agree -- Hulu is missing that one special ingredient. Recent broadcasts of network shows might be a draw, but I'm not sure if any current shows are so popular that people don't want to miss an episode. The 24 reboot is popular, but maybe not as un-missable as the original.
Adi
5/9/2017 8:53:38 AM
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Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
clrmoney - in some ways I think Hulu's advertising strategy is probably the more interesting one. If it is able to bring in substantial local $$$ that could change its entire direction. And it won;t just affect local cable operators, but also newspapers, radio stations -- everyone that sells local advertising.
Ariella
5/9/2017 9:22:59 AM
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Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
@Adi that's true. I'd think Hulu would be a more attractive local advertising venue than some other channels. Still, I'd think if the business tends to advertise on radio, it wouldn't necessarily divert tha to Hulu because you reach a different type of audience on the radio -- or even the same audience but at different times. Many of us put on the radio while driving even if we don't listen at home. We can't really watch programs while driivng.
Adi
5/9/2017 9:29:32 AM
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Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
@Ariella - For sure. People use each medium differently, but as an advertiser, if you are reaching a particular segment with one medium, then you are less willing to invest in another. Or at least willing to invest less.
Ariella
5/9/2017 9:38:22 AM
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Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
@Adi sure if you have only a set amount of money allocated for advertising, then what you put in one channel leaves less for the other media.
afwriter
5/10/2017 11:42:37 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
@Adi are you familiar with Sony's Crackle? They seem to use local advertising so it is definitely not out of the realm of possibility for Hulu.
mhhf1ve
5/11/2017 1:54:06 AM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Hulu joins Skinny TV service
I'm sure Hulu will be able to do some local advertising since it already knows your location and IP address. I think I may have already seen it on Hulu. The question is: is local advertising much more lucrative than other kinds of ads?
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