In the wake of an exponential growth in broadband technology media providers are forced to reengineer their distribution methods. Consumers are now demanding more content be available online giving them the freedom to access it at their convenience. In addition to watching content on their own schedule consumers also want it for free. Despite the tall order most media providers have risen to the occasion and now provide online access to their programming. Although there are plenty of websites to choose from, this article will focus on Hulu and how they meet consumers demands to watch tv shows online.
Hulu offers programming from many top providers such as FOX, NBC Universal, MTV, and Warner Brothers to name a few. Some of their most popular shows include The Office, Family Guy, The Daily Show, and Hell's Kitchen. In addition to television shows Hulu offers thousands of movies for instant streaming.
Hulu offers all of these shows and much more for free. For those seeking more content a subscription to Hulu Plus may remedy the situation. At $7.99 a month it is quite affordable when compared to the monthly rates of cable companies. Those enrolled in Hulu Plus also have the option to watch across a variety of platforms including phones, gaming consoles, tablets, blu-ray players, and more.
If you can watch all of these shows for free the how are the media providers making any money? They are doing it the same way they have done it for decades - advertising. Hulu inserts commercials and the beginning and periodically throughout the shows. The advertising revenue is then shared between Hulu and the media provider.
So, the plus side is its free. The negative side is that you have to sit through commercials, but it's actually less commercial time than cable networks subject us to. Ads are typically 30-60 seconds and you usually only have to watch 1 at a time as opposed to the 2 or three minute commercial breaks that continue to dominate cable television.
Although Hulu hosts over 260 content companies there are still many shows that are not available on Hulu. There is so much content that I would argue that there is something for everyone but if you are searching for a specific show then you may not be in luck.
My opinion? I thought you would never ask. I have personally enjoyed Hulu for years now. In fact, it remains my primary source for watching sitcoms. If you are still readying this and haven't tried out Hulu then what are you waiting for? You don't even have to sign up.
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