Hulu secures NBCU live streaming deal
May 2, 2017
Premium entertainment streaming platform Hulu and NBCUniversal have reached a comprehensive, new distribution agreement that will bring NBC and Telemundo Owned Television Stations and portfolio of leading cable networks to Hulu’s upcoming new live TV streaming service when it launches in the Spring of 2017.
The deal will provide live and on-demand streaming access to networks including NBC, Telemundo, USA, Syfy, Bravo, E!, MSNBC, CNBC, NBCSN and more, bringing the total number of channels in Hulu’s live TV service to more than 50. The agreement also includes a framework for licensing the NBC and Telemundo broadcast affiliates for carriage on Hulu’s new service.
“NBC Universal is home to many of today’s leading sports, news, entertainment and lifestyle networks – brands that not only draw large audiences but also drive pop culture,” said Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins. “With this agreement in place, Hulu will soon provide an affordable, complete live TV package that includes all four major broadcast networks, the top-rated cable news channels, a massive sports offering and our deep existing premium streaming library for under $40.”
“We’re pleased to partner with Hulu to make NBCUniversal’s leading portfolio of entertainment, news and sports networks available on this new service,” stated Matt Bond, Chairman NBCUniversal Content Distribution. “Growing our audiences is an important priority and this partnership will help bring our networks to new customers.”
NBCUniversal’s suite of networks includes NBC, with broadcast hits such as This Is Us, Blindspot and The Voice, as well as late night series The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Saturday Night Live and Late Night with Seth Meyers; leading cable networks like USA— home of the critically acclaimed cable drama Mr. Robot — Syfy, Bravo and E!; top-rated news programming from NBC’s The Today Show and Dateline, to live, breaking coverage from MSNBC and CNBC news networks; leading American Spanish-language network Telemundo; kids programming from Sprout; and sports programming such as Sunday Night Football and the Olympics and networks including NBCSN, Golf Channel and NBC Sports Regional Networks in Chicago, Philadelphia, New England, Mid-Atlantic, Bay Area, California and Northwest.
NBCUniversal’s portfolio of networks adds to a growing list of more than 50 popular channels that will all be offered through Hulu’s new live TV service at launch. The deal follows Hulu’s recently-announced agreement with A+E Networks, as well as its agreements with 21st Century Fox, The Walt Disney Company, Turner Networks and CBS Corporation.
In addition to the company’s current ad-supported and ad-free subscription video on demand products, Hulu’s new service will offer viewers the most valuable pay-TV option on the market in a new user experience for under $40 per month. With no set-up costs or installation, Hulu says that it alone will bring together live and on demand channels, original series and films, and premium library TV shows and movies, all in one place, across living room and mobile devices.