We broke the story of Hulu pulling the content plug out of TV.com earlier this week, and two days ago we also reported that content owners forced Boxee to stop streaming Hulu content as well. Now the owners of TV.com, CBS Interactive, have responded with a message that sparked the Wall Street Journal to headline an article on the reaction “CBS Strikes Back at Hulu”.
What did CBS Interactive’s statement say?
“CBS Interactive is well within its rights to stream Hulu video content on TV.com under its agreement with Hulu. We are evaluating our next steps at this time.”
Sounds like war talk to me, yet neither side was willing to comment on whether there was still a possibility of Hulu videos appearing on TV.com. The distribution agreement between TV.com and Hulu was made prior to CBS’s acquisition TV.com’s parent company, CNET. CBS very recently relaunched TV.com recently with a redesign that almost exactly matched the look and feel of Hulu. TV.com is growing at a very fast rate, surpassing Hulu in traffic according to some.
To be continued, no doubt.
In related news, Comcast and Time Warner Cable are reportedly in talks with major cable television network owners about ways to give cable subscribers (and only them) access to much of the networks’ programming on the web.
Meeoowww!
Popcorn anyone?
Those are definitely fighting words from CBS. Doesn’t just give you the thought that all the major networks are going to start fighting over how their content is distributed on the web and pretty soon each one will just start their own channel?
I’m pretty sure you can watch tv shows directly on each channel’s website. I know I’ve watched shows on nbc.com, abc.com, cbs.com, vh1.com, etc. during the past 3 years. But the Hulu interface is far better than the choppy videos of the other stations.
Honestly as much as I love the combined feel of Hulu, the networks have no real need to continue advacements in the area, so I guess content partners creating there own channels might be a good idea. Then again even better would be for these content partners to create there own sites but all offer a open API!
Yes. This is the beginning of a great media war. TV.com can win because of the name alone. Each network will get to the point where they allow clips to be played anywhere and full programming exclusively on their site.
Go Hulu. Tv.com is a good domain… but that’s where it ends. We all know that’s why CBS bought CNet.
Hulu pulled the tv.com range from being able to show the goods… period the end. CBS is just bitter that in the online circle-jerk they got stuck with the bread (who wouldn’t be).
P.S. Cases like this one will further prove how Hulu is less of a YouTube competitor (you, me, my mom, some skinny kid in tight pants with cheap tattoos uploading music videos in his aunts basement, etc.) and more of a clash of the titans (NBC, FOX, CBS, etc.).
This is going to be the best fight in a long time. I’m placing my money with Hulu until a later time. Hard to say what Comcast and Time Warner will be capable of doing with the money they would have to back a venture in this space too.
TV.com — Release the contract to TechCrunch!
MediaMall playon still streams Hulu to your HDTV.
I am a $29 subscriber. I guess in light of these other services no longer being able to they just hiked their rates to $39 a license.
http://www.them...all.com/playon/
They sent all trial members a warning email to buy a license before they increased the price.
This requires a media center or PC that is always on, and Hulu and friends show up as a media server in Xbox 360 or your PS3 or both in my case.
Playon Hulu streaming is confirmed working with the latest update from this morning.
I just tested it on my PS3 streaming an episode of 24.
Maybe Boxee just sucks?
Playon also streams HD content when available. It looks extremely nice on my HDTV, every bit as good as Time Warner Cable.
I do not subscribe to cable anymore. I only have $29 a month high speed time warner internet(road runner) which I got through a special 6 month offer from Bridgevine.
A combination of Media Center IPTV and Playon makes cable obsolete for me. I don’t even miss it.
It’s so expensive. It’t such a rip off and to have the same features, you need TiVo or some fancy expensive box. My Media center PC with the altec IR ready case cost me like $300 to build from new egg parts, and you can grab a xbox360 arcade bundle for $169 with a deal from techbargains.com
@Chris
Talking to yourself?
You don’t need a box to get Hulu on your TV. PCTVCables.com
but who wants their PC in their living room next to their TV ( or the laptop proped on a chair next to it)… with PlayOn I’m able to stream it through my PS3, so no box AND no PC cables.
Hulu wins the UI competition hands down.
I just visited tv.yahoo and that site it terribad.
TV.com is significantly better than the yahoo one, but not as simple and clutter free as Hulu
The TV.com is growing at a very fast rate url in your post goes to a broken page, either killed by traffic or noob coders. Just an FYI.
The war between online video shows continues and Youtube just sits back to enjoy the show.
huh?
YouTube doesn’t even have a horse in this race. this is all about professionally-produced long form content from the major studios.
YouTube may or may not be a profitable business in the long run, but Hulu, TV.com or something like them surely will be – unless the studios and networks go the music industry route and litigate to protect their legacy business model.
No media war with Hulu, PLEASE! {seesmic_video:{”url_thumbnail”:{”value”:”http://t.seesmic.com/thumbnail/HQoudJoswy_th1.jpg”}”title”:{”value”:”No media war with Hulu, PLEASE! ”}”videoUri”:{”value”:”http://www.seesmic.com/video/cc3hrQKn9Q”}}}
i prefer joost
Yawwwwn. Irrelevance. Fighting over rights? Please.
Back to my torrent TV aggregator.