Hulu is making some changes to its pricing model next month, increasing the cost of their Live TV bundle while slashing the price of their main, ad-supported service.
- As Deadline reports, Hulu has announced changes to their Hulu + Live TV and basic tier streaming options.
- While the Hulu + Live TV bundle will increase from $39.99 a month to $44.99 a month, the basic tier service will decrease from the current $7.99 a month to $5.99.
- The ad-free option the streamer offers will remain at $11.99 a month.
- These prices will go into effect February 26th for both new and current subscribers.
- This move comes after rival Netflix increased prices across their product line.
- Of course it also just so happens to arrive as The Walt Disney Company is expected to take control of Hulu thanks to the extra 30% share of the streaming service they’ll take on as part of their purchase of 21st Century Fox assets, bringing their total share to 60%.
- Comcast also owns 30% of Hulu while Warner Bros. — now AT&T — holds the remaining 10%.
- In addition to retaining their Hulu investment, Disney is planning to launch their own streaming service, Disney+, later this year.
- Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger has previously said that Disney+ will be less expensive than Netflix while offering few other details on pricing.
- Hulu has previously announced that it had more than 1 million Live TV subscribers and also recently surpassed 25 million streaming subs.
- Speculation: the February 26th start date for this new pricing may suggest that Disney’s purchase of Fox is expected to be completed by that time.
ICYMI — Hulu News
- Earlier this week, it was announced that Hulu had canceled The First starring Sean Penn after one season.
- On a brighter note, Hulu earned an Oscar nomination yesterday with Minding the Gap completing for Best Documentary Feature.