While Disney+ is supposed to be Disney’s flagship streaming service, Disney actually operates a handful of platforms. Among them, we have Hulu. If you ever wondered whether they should merge, we have (potentially) good news for you, as Disney might finally do it.
Disney CEO Bob Iger announced in an earnings call that the company wants to make a “one-app experience” for users within the US, a move that would also come tied with a price hike for the ad-free tier, which currently costs $11.99 a month and barely went up just months ago from its previous $7.99/mo price point.
Referring to the matter, Mr. Iger said that “while we continue to offer Disney plus Hulu and ESPN plus as standalone options, this is a logical progression of our direct-to-consumer offerings that will provide greater opportunities for advertisers,” and it would also give “bundle subscribers access to more robust and streamlined content, resulting in greater audience engagement and ultimately leading to a more unified streaming experience.”
Hulu is the place where most content, especially adult-focused content, produced by what was previously Fox lives. As part of Disney’s acquisition of Fox, that content is now mostly owned by Disney (Comcast still has some control), which means technically, it could be shown on Disney+. As it turns out, internationally, that content can actually be streamed on Disney+, on a content hub called Star. Disney is probably planning something similar for the US market as well.
We’ll have to wait and see how things pan out, but we’ll likely know more about Disney’s plans on this matter within the next few months. Presumably, Hulu will continue to exist as a standalone option for people not paying for Disney+.
Source: The Walt Disney Company
Via: The Verge
