Crank up the rumor mill. With Apple grabbing all the headlines this week with its new iPad, the best way to command attention is to leak possible deals, and Hulu is leading the way. Rekindling old rumors, The LA Times said Hulu was in talks for a $5 monthly service to let users look at TV show episodes in the back catalog of Hulu; the site generally only shows the five most recent episodes of a given TV show. That was soundly denied from all fronts, until about mid-way through Apple's product event this week. Now the service is being called a sure thing by unnamed sources from around the industry and within Hulu itself. The rumored service will include at least 20 TV shows, which signals its problem right off the bat. Hulu's early successes came from shows users decided they wanted to watch; some of its biggest draws were shows canceled by TV networks. While the rumor mill will crank out different variations, don't expect much to come of a Hulu service that doesn't let users pick their own content - even if it becomes a legitimate deal and not just a whisper. |
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