12 March 2008 - Hulu launch

Digital Innovation Days

When Hulu launched for the general public on the 12th of March, 2008, it offered access to all within the United States. Previously, a beta version of this video streaming platform had also been privately launched. Although Hulu offered only a selection of content (television shows, films, and news) free of cost, users could now watch content on the internet without paying satellite television or cable providers. It took this website only a year to become the fourth-largest video site in the United States. Owned by The Walt Disney Company and Comcast, today Hulu offers its services in the United States and Japan only owing to licensing restrictions.

In 2016, the platform was overhauled and converted into a subscription-based model which gave Hulu the chance to exponentially increase its library. Additionally, Hulu offers live streaming from 21st Century Fox, NBCUniversal, The Walt Disney Company, CBS Corporation, Turner Networks, The CW, A+E Networks, and Discovery Networks, allowing its users to choose from a diverse selection set - a feature not common in streaming services. In addition to this, certain features set Hulu apart from other video streaming sites, Netflix included, showcasing why the name is still relevant and successful over a decade after its launch. It has a fast turnaround of current television, has impressively strong network partnerships, and offers competitive pricing (it even has a free option with a limited catalogue!).

As it is important for any technological innovation aiming to stay relevant, Hulu has reinvented itself over the years to better suit its clientele’s requirements and preferences. It is no longer just the website users visit to watch the next-day TV show replays. It now offers its own live TV provider. Bringing convenience to its users, Hulu believes that TV should be mobile, suit one’s lifestyle, and be an application essentially. It is perhaps this user-centric approach to development and technology that helps Hulu stay a popular video streaming name.