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Hulu responds to Boxee / Skyfire / PS3 Ban

August 11, 2009

EDIT : The below is an e-mail exchange with Hulu regarding the viewing of the content via a mobile device (in this case it’s a Windows Mobile Device). That being stated, Hulu is now officially not supporting ANY mobile device.

That means your Iphone, Your Android, Your blackberry, doesn’t matter… you are not allowed to watch Hulu content on any mobile device. The last holdout was using a Windows Mobile device and the skyfire browser.

This was removed earlier this year.

To put it bluntly, all support for any hand held device, such as a smartphone is now removed. You cannot watch Hulu on your mobile.

Date: Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:37:31 -0700 [17:37:31 EDT]

Hi Roger,

Thanks for writing. To answer your question, I thought some context might be helpful.

For decades, the TV/movie industry has built its business model on a windowing
strategy. Content rights are granted for limited time periods across specific
distribution channels. For example, a movie starts in theaters, then moves to
pay-per-view and DVD, then to pay-cable channels, later to broadcast, and so on
down the line. Similarly, TV shows are available on TV first, then in repeats,
then to DVD and possibly syndication, etc.

Distribution availability across platforms — theaters vs. TV vs. recorded media
like DVDs vs. online streaming vs. mobile phones — was always implicitly or
explicitly controlled in that world. But a few factors have made the barriers
between those platforms more permeable: the rise of the web, increased broadband
availability, the ease of digitizing video, and the increase in the computing
power of devices like gaming consoles, set-top boxes, and mobile phones.

However, in the near-term, the windowing strategy is still dominant in the
business. Billions of dollars flow in across these different windows, and entire
companies are organized around them. Nothing productive comes from flouting that
reality (except to law firms who work on the occasional lawsuit).

We do, however, expect these windows to converge over time. There’s no way around
that, and we’re working hard with all of our partners to guide and participate in
this important transition in the business. Everything we do is with an eye toward
achieving our long-term goal of maximizing the content you can access as
conveniently as possible in a way that “works” for the content owner. In the
short-term that may require us to make some tough decisions, but we only do so
when we believe it improves our long-term prospects to build a more enduring,
legal solution to that same problem.

We hear your frustration, and solving it remains our full-time job.

Cheers,
Rebecca
Hulu

07/10/2009 19:20 - Roger XXXXX wrote:

I have been using Skyfire on a Microsoft Windows Mobile device to watch
Hulu when traveling, however there appears to be an error that recently
showed up. I am somewhat confused on why this is happening as it
worked perfectly in the past.

If Skyfire is not supported, then what browser may I use on a Windows
Mobile device to view the TV and movies?

hulu-logo

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Written by TheFounder · Filed Under Advertising Agency News 


Comments

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  • LOL

    That is quite a bullshit response from Hulu. They should run for a political office.

  • LOL

    That is quite a bullshit response from Hulu. They should run for a political office.

  • Brandon

    Hulu used to be the best thing that hit the web in a long long time. Now they have become just like every other piece of crap company out there. I know it makes it easier to get content when you are owned by the content distributors but it also makes it easier to use Hulu to further old world out-dated business practices. Rebecca mentions “windows” and trying to converge them. This is the worst line of BS that I have heard. Hulu and its stakeholders are only interested in making money. For example you can’t watch a lot of current full season worth of shows because that would get into their DVD sales of the seasons. The only good one I have seen is Stargate SG-1 which they are putting up all 10 seasons, BUT only till May of next year.
    You tell people “this show is so good you can’t miss an episode” but you only show the last 4 or 5 episodes and the season is already on episode 8 so now you can’t see how it all started.
    I am more than willing to sit through a couple more ads per episode to be able to watch a full season of something and have it available all the time to me. The ability to watch it on my schedule outweighs the extra couple minutes I would spend watching a couple extra minutes of ads.

  • Brandon

    Hulu used to be the best thing that hit the web in a long long time. Now they have become just like every other piece of crap company out there. I know it makes it easier to get content when you are owned by the content distributors but it also makes it easier to use Hulu to further old world out-dated business practices. Rebecca mentions “windows” and trying to converge them. This is the worst line of BS that I have heard. Hulu and its stakeholders are only interested in making money. For example you can’t watch a lot of current full season worth of shows because that would get into their DVD sales of the seasons. The only good one I have seen is Stargate SG-1 which they are putting up all 10 seasons, BUT only till May of next year.
    You tell people “this show is so good you can’t miss an episode” but you only show the last 4 or 5 episodes and the season is already on episode 8 so now you can’t see how it all started.
    I am more than willing to sit through a couple more ads per episode to be able to watch a full season of something and have it available all the time to me. The ability to watch it on my schedule outweighs the extra couple minutes I would spend watching a couple extra minutes of ads.

  • http://www.tribbleagency.com/ TheFounder

    I am completely in agreement with you…. ESPECIALLY with the Stargate SG-1 issue… don’t even bother going to see Stargate Atlantis… you get to see like 5 episodes total… with no idea how they even got there…

    My problem however is I don’t think this is Hulu’s fault… I think the content owners came down on them like a doom hammer… and that is why they had to ban the browsers… the blame needs to go to the MPAA and company…

  • http://www.tribbleagency.com TheFounder

    I am completely in agreement with you…. ESPECIALLY with the Stargate SG-1 issue… don’t even bother going to see Stargate Atlantis… you get to see like 5 episodes total… with no idea how they even got there…

    My problem however is I don’t think this is Hulu’s fault… I think the content owners came down on them like a doom hammer… and that is why they had to ban the browsers… the blame needs to go to the MPAA and company…

  • http://www.skyfire.com/blog/2009/09/11/a-note-about-hulu-on-skyfire/ A note about Hulu on Skyfire « Skyfire

    [...] There is nothing wrong with your Skyfire browser, and you can watch other videos on the web. Hulu should be allowed to speak for themselves as to their reasons for blocking Skyfire browsers, but you can find a post that Hulu made on this site: http://www.tribbleagency.com/?p=5602. [...]

  • Marvin

    Hulu really squandered the chance to be “full and first” on this. When will the industry schmucks realize that their business model was state-of-the-art in 1966? For full and completely unfettered (and un-COMPLICATED) access to television episodes, etc., on my mobile I am even willing to *pay* a small monthly amount (perhaps through my cable company or satellite television provider?).

    Oh well… Coulda been a contender…

  • Marvin

    Hulu really squandered the chance to be “full and first” on this. When will the industry schmucks realize that their business model was state-of-the-art in 1966? For full and completely unfettered (and un-COMPLICATED) access to television episodes, etc., on my mobile I am even willing to *pay* a small monthly amount (perhaps through my cable company or satellite television provider?).

    Oh well… Coulda been a contender…

  • Name

    Our pocket pc's are an extension of our home computers nowaday's, especially with todays technology. So to allow access one day, then deny access based on the fact that my internet conection is mobile is frankly an insult and discriminatory.

  • Name

    thats not a answer its nice tapdancing though …..

  • Jeremy

    if by improving your long term prospects you mean causing me to no longer use hulu and vow to never ever use hulu again, then you have achieved success.

  • Name

    what a colossal dodge of the question. How about, “we're launching our own pay service, so we're flicking Skyfire.” Even if this weren't true, my dear Rebecca, you've done nothing to endear yourself or Hulu to viewers with this response. I think that Roger just wanted you to answer his question. It is likely that Hulu will soon overreach its bounds with a pay service that very few will use. Bad idea with the money grab. You had revenue from ads. Should've left it at that…

  • TheFounder

    It's completely unacceptable for Hulu and the content providers to treat
    one Internet device different than another.

    Netbook = good
    Smartphone = bad
    Desktop = good
    Desktop with TV monitor = bad

    I completely surrender.

  • lollol2

    I suggest that hulu should pay more attention to “Adobe RTMPE streaming protection” than “Blocking access from outside of U.S”.

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  • Mark

    You do a nice line in spin, but all you are doing is annoying your customer base. Move over and die, someone else will eat your lunch.

  • charles

    hulu will hurt themselves everybody moving to phones that do it all while on the go.hulu bad move bad bussiness

  • charles

    skyfire is going far and beyond other web browsers soon it will be put on phones like opera is and battery life will be better.iphone look out big brother is here.

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    Well yeah it is a lamer! I used to watch all my TV shows and movies from NBC, Fox, ABC from HULU but hey maybe it's the time we start studying!=)

  • http://www.browser-fuchs.de/?p=910 Hulu funktioniert nun auch im Skyfire « Browser Fuchs

    [...] hätten zugreifen können. Grund ist das der Skyfire-Browser aus unerfindlichen Gründen von Hulu geblockt wurde. Nun ist das Angebot auch für Nutzer aus den USA wieder zugänglich wenn sie die Seite mit [...]

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    Just like what Rebecca had said, any concern arises would be her/HUHU's full-time job. And on our end, we will be expecting that with you. If this thing won't work, I am quite sure they would find ways to resolve this.

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  • Veterinary technician

    I stick to the same tactics just as well, it’s not what you do, but how you do it, as long you commit to quality everything is going to be just fine, the fact that spammers and scammers are being filtered out more and more is only good news, real companies with real website are not affected by any of this

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    Aresome! Hulu sucks big time!!!