Hulu Live TV launched today in beta
Hulu launched its live-streaming TV service today with more than 50 sports, news, entertainment and kids’ channels.
The package costs $39.99 per month and includes Hulu’s existing streaming library. Users will also get 50 hours of cloud storage to record live TV programs and movies.
Hulu’s live-streaming service will allow two simultaneous streams per account and up to six individual profiles.
Customers will be able to upgrade to an enhanced Cloud DVR, and unlimited in-home screens.
The company also announced a new affiliate agreement with lifestyle media leader Scripps Networks Interactive to bring its popular networks, including HGTV, Travel Channel and Food Network, to both Hulu’s new live service and existing premium streaming offering.
“Nearly a decade ago, Hulu forever redefined the way people watch TV. Today, as we add live sports, news and entertainment and introduce a more intuitive Hulu, we want to redefine the way people experience TV,” Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins said in a statement. “By bringing together thousands of live, on-demand and library shows and movies — and serving them up in a uniquely personalized way – Hulu can now be a viewer’s primary source of television. It’s a natural extension of our business, and an exciting new chapter for Hulu.”
The new service begins rolling out today on Apple TV (4th Gen.), Xbox One, iOS and Android mobile devices, as well as Chromecast. More devices including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Sticks and Samsung Smart TVs will be supported soon.
Like Hulu’s existing premium streaming offering, Hulu’s new live TV beta service will be available across Internet-connected living room and mobile devices.
Hulu will compete with five other services
With today’s announcement, Hulu became the sixth company to offer premium channel bundles over the Internet that were once exclusive to cable and satellite providers.
They will compete with Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, DirecTV Now, fuboTV, and YouTube TV.
Unlike its competitors, Hulu has entered the live streaming market with an established customer base.
At today’s announcement in New York City, executives said that the company has had “significant audience growth to 47 million total unique viewers.”
Hulu Live TV (beta) channel lineup
Here’s a complete listing of all channels offered by Hulu Live TV at launch today.
21ST CENTURY FOX
FOX, Big Ten Network, Fox Business Network, Fox News Channel, Fox RSNs, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, FX, FXX, FXM, National Geographic Channel, National Geographic Wild
THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY
ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN-SEC Network, Freeform, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior
NBC UNIVERSAL
NBC, Telemundo, Comcast RSNs, The Comcast Network Philadelphia, NECN, USA Network, Bravo, E!, Syfy, MSNBC, CNBC, NBCSN, Golf Channel, Chiller, Oxygen Network, Sprout
A+E NETWORKS
A&E, The History Channel (THC), Lifetime, Viceland, Lifetime Movie Network (LMN), FYI
SCRIPPS NETWORKS INTERACTIVE
Food Network, HGTV, Travel Channel
TURNER NETWORKS
CNN, HLN, CNN International, TBS, TNT, TruTV, TCM, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network & Adult Swim, Boomerang
CBS CORPORATION
CBS, CBS Sports Network, POP
Live and On Demand Channels, Originals and Library TV
Hulu is currently the only pay-TV service to offer live and on-demand channels, original series and films, and a library of premium streaming TV shows and movies.
The $39.99 per month base package includes Hulu’s existing $7.99 premium streaming offering with limited commercials. The combined service offers more than 3500 TV and film titles. It now includes full seasons of Scripps Networks series as well as Hulu Originals such as The Path, The Mindy Project, Golden Globe-nominated comedy Casual, and The Handmaid’s Tale.
Viewers who wish to watch their Hulu Originals, movies, and library content without advertising can subscribe to the company’s on-demand No Commercials plan for an additional $4.00 per month.
Premium and Feature Add-Ons
Hulu viewers who choose the Hulu with Live TV (Beta) Plan can further enhance their Hulu experience by choosing premium content or feature add-ons that best fit their lifestyle:
Enhanced Cloud DVR ($14.99/month): Subscribers can upgrade to 200 hours of recording storage and more powerful cloud DVR capabilities, allowing them to record as many shows as they want to at the same time and watch from anywhere — no clunky boxes needed. With the Enhanced Cloud DVR, Hulu will record new episodes of any show or games of any team that viewers have designated as a favorite, and they will be able to fast forward through recorded ads.
Unlimited Screens ($14.99/month): Hulu’s Unlimited Screens add-on gives viewers as many simultaneous streams as they want in the home, and three outside the home, so the entire household can enjoy Hulu at any time.
Enhanced Cloud DVR + Unlimited Screens ($19.99/month): Viewers can bundle both product add-ons together and save $10.00.
SHOWTIME ($8.99/month): Fans of SHOWTIME can add the channel, giving them unlimited, on-demand access to all of SHOWTIME’s award-winning original series, box office hits, documentaries and specials.
Additional premium network add-ons will become available soon.
For more information, a list of available live channels, or to sign up for the Hulu With Live TV (Beta) plan, you can visit Hulu via a web browser: www.hulu.com/live-tv.
Founder and Editor of The Cord Cutting Report. Before launching the site in 2016, he worked for more than two decades as a staff writer or correspondent for a number of daily newspapers, including The Boston Globe. His enthusiasm for tech began with the Atari 2600. Follow @james_kimble
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