Hulu on Boxee? Not after February 20th!

[Jeff Campbell]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.tuaw.com/2009/02/18/boxee-forced-to-remove-hulu/' target='_blank'>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/02/18/boxe...to-remove-hulu/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"As a boxee user/proselytizer, I am gutted over the latest news: Hulu will be removed from boxee as of Friday (February 20, 2009). Hulu gives some insight into its request for removal from boxee in its blog post and at least Hulu seems to understand that this decision will be extremely unpopular for users. And I think that's an understatement."</em></p><p><em><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1235011062.usr105634.jpg" /></em></p><p>"Content Providers" are the underlying reason for this, as well as the removal of <a href="http://www.hulu.com/" target="_blank">Hulu</a> from <a href="http://www.tv.com/" target="_blank">TV.com</a>, the CBS portal that started in January. I would have thought they would have been overjoyed with the exposure, but it comes down to the almighty dollar, or lack thereof. Providers don't make anything from the Boxee web ads, they get their revenue from the cable companies subscriber fees and network ads. This seems short sighted to me, as I seriously doubt that someone watching Hulu on Boxee is going to suddenly go out and become a cable subscriber. I'm pretty sure they will find another way to access it, like via &nbsp;<a href="http://forums.thoughtsmedia.com/f386/netflix-hulu-front-row-yep-92620.html" target="_blank">Front Row</a>.</p>

[ptyork]

It'll be gone from FrontRow ASAP, as well. The networks are just going through the same stages of utter denial that the record industry did. Pretty soon they'll realize that content WILL be available digitally and ubiquitously. If folks can't get their content via ad-supported Hulu, they'll get it via FREE bittorrent. Exactly the same thing facing the music folks 5 years ago.

If cable TV is still here in 10 years it is only because of lawyers and lobbyists. It certainly won't be because of need or demand. And if it is still here, they'll be hanging on by their fingernails. Coax will be nothing more than IP bandwidth. There is simply no question that ad-supported services like Hulu and perhaps specialty subscription services are the future (NOT and I repeat NOT the stupid ESPN360 model) and that bringing it directly to the TV is the logical conclusion. Hulu is handcuffed here, but the networks are engaging in a lose / lose / lose effort. The networks lose because they are NOT going to get more revenue by removing content from Boxee. Consumers lose because they are losing content. And Boxee loses because they have now lost a major selling point. Maybe cable companies win a delay in execution, but little more.

I assume soon that the networks will smell their own fart and figure out how to embrace reality. We'll see, though. It took the record industry many painful years...

[Tim Williamson]

I'm hoping this is a sign that we'll be getting an official Hulu interface for Xbox 360 (and any other consoles out there).

[doogald]

It'll be gone from FrontRow ASAP, as well.

Apparently, it's already done. None of my Hulu content is playing in Understudy.