Providing Market Intelligence for 40 Years

In The News

Hulu Adds (Mostly) Ad-Free Subscription Service

Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins chalked up the exceptions to rights held by studios on select series. “They have other commitments that they couldn’t free them up for a complete commercial-free offering,” he said, adding that the service will clearly delineate the exceptions to users before they stream those series.

Other series that will have pre-roll include four ABC series: “How to Get Away with Murder,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Once Upon a Time,” “Agents of SHIELD,” and an NBC series, “Grimm.”

Hulu is making the move in response to subscriber complaints voiced in various forms of consumer research about having to pay yet still watch ads. Earlier this month, a Parks Associates survey found that half of Hulu subscribers have canceled service over the past 12 months, compared to just 9% for Netflix over the same span.

The new subscription option brings Hulu in line with its commercial-free rivals Netflix, which remains several dollars cheaper than Hulu depending on which rate its own subscribers pay, and Amazon Prime, which charges $99 per year for access to its content library in addition to free two-day shipping.

From the article "Hulu Adds (Mostly) Ad-Free Subscription Service" by Andrew Wallenstein. 

Previously In The News

Apple releases HomeView smart home hub with screen as showcase for Siri AI

“Apple always waits for an ecosystem to develop first until they are positive they can provide a stellar user experience,” said Jennifer Kent, principal analyst at Parks Associates, which conducts res...

Apple Expands Smart Home Strategy With New HomeView Hub

Apple's announcements represent a significant expansion of its smart home strategy, moving beyond individual devices toward a more integrated experience spanning entertainment, communications, securit...

One merger after another: How the Paramount-WBD deal will impact future Oscar campaigns

Michael Goodman, director of entertainment research at Parks Associates, pointed out that the two studios have historically brought starkly different recent trajectories to the table. While Paramount...

The 2027 Emmys need a home — will it be on Netflix, Prime Video, or YouTube?

Michael Goodman, director of entertainment research at Parks Associates, says that if the rights head to the open market, there could be a significant increase in the rights fees or whoever winds...