While Amazon and Netflix have been in the news lately for their exclusives, it feels like Hulu has stayed relatively quiet, save for their exclusive distribution for Seinfeld. In fact, I’ve spent more time watching various shows on Hulu than Netflix and Amazon combined over the past month. However, one thing I’ll never be able to get over are Hulu’s ads. Without fail, most will opt to wait for releases on Netflix rather than watch them earlier on Hulu with ads.
It’s this mentality Hulu must combat in order to stay competitive with Netflix and Amazon. If rumors are to be true, the streaming company is ready to make the necessary adjustments. According to the Wall Street Journal, Hulu insiders revealed plans to explore ad-free subscriptions, perhaps timed for a fall release. The initiative, nicknamed internally as NOAH (no ads Hulu), is rumored to be in the $12 to $14 per month range. If true, their fees will be considerably more expensive than Netflix ($8/month) and Amazon ($99/year or $8.25/month), and slightly cheaper than HBO Now ($15/month).
Will a few extra dollars for ad-free Hulu content be enough to convince current and prospective Hulu subscribers? Personally, I would rather stick with the commercials or wait patiently for a Netflix release.
[Wall Street Journal via /Film]