A little podcast let me know that Hulu was pondering about going to a subscription model next year, or soon thereafter. This just got me to thinking about how we get and pay for all the entertainment we consume.
I’m all for paying for something that contains value. The traditional TV model was that we paid for our content by being the consumer of advertisement that pays for the content to be produced. Technology has been nudging it in a different way for a while.
Cable was the first straw. It’s a club of sorts that you’re subscribing to. The main source of revenue for cable subscribers followed by their own advertising placement. The cable companies in-turn pay a fee to networks to distribute the content. Different tiers cost more or less money and therefore contain more or less content for the consumer.
The ability to record (VHS) was the next straw. This was a manner in which the consumer could record any broadcasted content and play it back at their discretion. The how and why is a little individualistic, but it’s more than common to do it simply to skip the advertisements.
The file sharing boom changed the game. Content was going everywhere with no discernible revenue going to the content provider. There needed to be an answer, and the answer was online networks like Hulu which was not that far from a traditional advertising model.
So… Hulu is thinking about going to a subscription for its content. This really pisses me off. Not only is Hulu hit and miss for the content it’s providing, but the only reason it succeeds is because it’s free. I just tried to give a specific new show a chance and view the first episode, but it had been removed as it is not in the most recent five episodes and therefore not available to view online. I guess they really don’t want a new viewer.
We currently have a satellite dish, and portions of our monthly bill go towards all the different networks. I pay for ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CNN, MTV, and so many others on the list. I even pay for channels that I never watch and wish I didn’t pay for. So why should I be charged for content on the same content providers that I already pay for? It’s total BS…
I just hope that someday people will get their heads out of their asses and offer a true a la carte solution. I pick the exact channels I want to have on tap at any given moment. If I subscribe to ABC, then why shouldn’t I be able to watch any piece of their content from past or present? Maybe I pay a higher rate for less advertisements… What about the option of paying me for being a consumer of commercials?
I understand that companies need to make money where they can, but you want to do it smartly that can encourage growth and a loyal user base… Oh well…
UPDATE: of course a few days of posting this, I learn that Apple is shopping a subscription plan for watching television shows. The rumor was that for something like $30 a month, a user would have unlimited access to viewing television shows. It’s an interesting idea…