US-based video streaming site Hulu will debut its first original scripted series, the political docudrama Battleground, next month.
The move marks another step for HUlu to becoming a full-fledged alternative to cable television.
Launching on February 14th in the US, the show stars a cast of mostly young unknowns, the show chronicles a hardscrabble primary campaign for the Wisconsin senate.
It follows Hulu’s first original documentary series Morgan Spurlock’s “A Day In The Life.”
The majority of Hulu’s programming to date has been licensed from its parent companies, News Corp, Disney and NBC Universal, as well as other program makers.
The original shows will be available on Hulu’s free Web service rather than just to its paying Hulu Plus subscribers as the start-up increases its user base and builds its reputation for original programming. But Hulu Chief Executive Jason Kilar said the dual revenue model of advertising and subscription fees is key to Hulu’s future.
“At scale, our model allows us to profitably pay content owners approximately 50 percent more in content licensing fees per subscriber when compared to other similarly priced online subscription services,” Kilar said in a blog post on Friday.
The original shows will be available on Hulu’s free Web service rather than just to its paying Hulu Plus subscribers as the start-up increases its user base and builds its reputation for original programming. But Hulu Chief Executive Jason Kilar said the dual revenue model of advertising and subscription fees is key to Hulu’s future.
“At scale, our model allows us to profitably pay content owners approximately 50 percent more in content licensing fees per subscriber when compared to other similarly priced online subscription services,” Kilar said in a blog post on Friday.
Hulu said on Friday it had more than 1.5 million paying subscribers at the end of 2011, and revenue grew 60 percent to $420 million.
Hulu said on Friday it had more than 1.5 million paying subscribers at the end of 2011, and revenue grew 60 percent to $420 million.
Hulu also announced the offbeat travel show Up to Speed from director Richard Linklater (School of Rock), which follows historian Timothy “Speed” Levitch as he tours forgotten monuments (like “the luckiest subway grate in New York City”).
The announcement follows rival Netflix’s aggressive move into scripted programming, including a new season of Arrested Development and executive producer David Fincher’s political drama House of Cards, starring Kevin Spacey.
