Hulu May Beat YouTube in Online Video
By Anna Johnson on May 1st, 2009Hulu, the third most popular online destination for streaming video, looks set to battle it out with YouTube for the number one spot as it signs a deal with ABC to distribute videos from ABC and Disney.
Based on comScore’s research, Hulu has emerged as the third most popular online video website. It had 380 million (2.6 percent) of all online videos watched in March 2009, behind YouTube (437 million videos and 3.0 percent of the market), and Fox Interactive Media with 437 million videos (3.0 percent).
Now, in addition to having initial exclusivity over distributing content from the NBC and Fox networks, Hulu will start streaming movies and TV programs from Disney and ABC.
What’s more Disney has joined News Corp and NBC as the big media companies with an equity stake in the company. These three companies together own 27 percent of the company.
This deal indicates that YouTube will have a fight on its hands if it wants to be the preferred destination for the best content from the big media companies.
Indeed, TechCrunch suggests that NBC, Fox and Disney/ABC may opt to give Hulu initial dibs at distributing their video content, with YouTube getting such content some time after that.
Source: Erick Schonfeld, “Disney Buys Into Hulu. YouTube Should Be Worried,” TechCrunch, April 30, 2009
May 4th, 2009 at 1:18 am
Maybe on the US market, but since Hulu doesn’t broadcast to many other countries, they won’t be cornering those markets at all. I also believe YouTube will continue to be the number one site for user-generated videos.
May 4th, 2009 at 2:57 am
Good point, Kevin. Here in Australia you say ‘Hulu’ and you’ll just get blank stares…