Hulu.com was forced to pull their support for an alpha Linux platform called Boxee. Story here.
I understand why (roughy). I’m befuddled why history continues to repeat itself. I heard a great line on the radio (yes… the radio) today. “It takes just as much energy to be a jerk as it does to be a nice guy. So why not just be a nice guy?” If the answer is, it doesn’t make you money. Then as you can plainly see from the responses to the post, being a jerk doesn’t either, so why not get at least good will out of it.
The quality of many TV shows is at a point where many of us feel like there is little to “pay” for. And I’m in the camp that I don’t mind being profiled if it means I see more appropriate commercials. It’s a hell of a lot better than seeing something funded by continuous product placement (like say… the Transformers live action movie – C’mon… Jazz was a Porche, Bumblebee was a VW bug, etc.)
There are decades of TV viewing habits built up. So it’s understandable why the tried-and-true wins. Most of the digital generation are in love with our widescreen large dimension LCD TVs. We’d like to have some kind of content to watch on it. More importantly, Hulu has made many of us give up the “more is better” formula of the cable and satellite provides. (I’d still pay for a la carte pricing by the way).
In keeping with this year’s big story, it’s time for change. There are parallels everywhere. Those who didn’t change with the times (GM, Chrysler, Ford) are in a world of hurt. Those who thought they could keep ripping off consumers (name a bank any bank) are in a world of hurt. Music CD sales are down (but that probably has to do with crappy content). Digital media sales are up.
This current situation has the exact same feeling of the RIAA and the Diamond Rio / MP3 players in the late 90s. I have been a Hulu subscriber since the early betas and really thought the “content providers” had figured it out. Did the content providers not go to CES this year and see Netflix being streamed DIRECTLY to the 2010 model LCD TVs? It’s like a heavy handed, sour grapes, “we didn’t think of it first”, so screw you response.
Instead of complaining about how much this sucks, I’d like to be a part of the solution. So, I’d like to throw out a few other ideas (that I’m sure your team has already thought about). And I encourage other Hulu fans to do the same.
The gist: instead of competing with TV (showing the SAME ads) how can Hulu make the ads more compelling? (ie make ads more valuable, make “content providers” more money.
- If part of the advertising argument is that the bug that shows on the browser isn’t viewable in boxee, then why not overlay the bug. Or have the “content provider”, put their down advertising bug watermarked on the screen (just like they have their network logo in the corner now)
- Find a way to make some kind of interaction using Flash.
- Open an API that sends an email when the bug or ad is “clicked” on to the user’s account. I would think that click through would be more valuable than views… or is that just sound insane? 
- Why not make Boxee users have a registered account. No unregistered viewing.
- Simple restrictions like – pause only, no skipping.
- If the “content providers” are upset at the social networking context of boxee, why doesn’t Hulu help to close that argument and “partner” with boxee for the sharing of this information. I realize the Boxee guys are banking a business case on this, but you can either hop on the bandwagon or get left in the dust.
- Put ads that say WHEN the live show is on and on which network and on which channel specially for the viewer.
Use the power of the internet. CUSTOMIZE the experience.
Viva Hulu
Viva Video via the internet to any internet-enabled device and being able to display it wherever.