Hulu has been expanding its services and offerings lately, going from a video-on-demand service to now being a live TV provider. If some recent reports are true, Hulu might be even moving in on the premium cable market, a move sure to make the streaming service stand out against its biggest rival, Netflix. The New York Post is reporting that HBO is penning an agreement with Hulu to bring some HBO content to the streaming service. According to the report, the two firms are in “late stage talks” which could see Hulu streaming many of HBO’s original series and films.
The deal comes on the heels of a massive acquisition last year which saw Time Warner Inc. buy up a 10% stake in Hulu to the tune of nearly $6 billion. Time Warner also happens to be the owner of HBO and its many subsidiary networks, making Hulu an ideal platform to expand its distribution. HBO is already available for streaming on Amazon, DIRECTV NOW, the PlayStation Vue network, or as a standalone streaming service through HBO Now on Roku and Apple TV.
Such an agreement would likely be a huge boon for Hulu, as HBO currently has some of the hottest properties in television. The HBO original series Game of Thrones is one of the most-watched (and pirated) programs in television history, and the upcoming final seasons are predicted to break many viewership records. Hulu currently boasts more than 12 million subscribers, and such distribution deal with HBO could likely bring in many more given that Hulu is moving into live streaming and becoming an all-in-one television provider.
While The New York Post isn’t the most reputable source, the fact that Time Warner has stakes in both HBO and Hulu could mean there’s some truth to these rumors, but time will ultimately tell. Time Warner, HBO, and Hulu have yet to issue a statement concerning the reported deal.
