Commentary
Zucker: Hulu Growth Slows
- by Wendy Davis , Staff Writer @wendyndavis, December 8, 2008
"That marketplace has really, really slowed dramatically," Zucker told the audience. "It's still a growth area, but I don't think it's what we thought it would be."
Consider, FT.com reported recently that the site took in an estimated $70 million since launching one year ago, and was on track to overtake YouTube in revenue.
What's more, the current economic meltdown could spur huge growth at Web TV sites, if consumers with broadband decide they can no longer justify the cost of paying for cable TV.
Already some cable companies are taking steps to stem defections from cost-conscious subscribers. Comcast executive vice president Dave Watson spoke this morning at the UBS conference about a new discount plan that offers 50 video channels, and additional music channels, for around $30 a month. If such discounted plans aren't enough to keep consumers paying the cable fees, Hulu.com and other Web TV sites could be poised to grow their viewership -- and, presumably, their ad revenues -- much faster than anticipated.
Wendy Davis is a Senior Writer at MediaPost. You can reach Wendy at wdavis@mediapost.com
I stopped watching Cable TV two years ago. During the last Decade, in my opinion Cable TV has lost it's value. When Cable TV arrived in my Town in the early 1980s I was promised a wide variety of programming with limited commercials. (The Premium Channels notwithstanding). 25 years later and what do we have? Dozens of channels that basically show the same programs over and over again, with up to 40 pewrcent of the hour set aside for Commercials. (Not to mention the Pop-Ups, Scrolls, Banners and Logos that "Butt In" during the Programming itself! I finally decided if the Networks are going to make more money by selling more Commercials they obviously no longer need my Subscription Dollars. I now use those dollars to get my Entertainment elsewhere.