Networks Block Google TV: The End of Free TV?
Posted by Steve Fravel on Monday, October 25, 2010 · 
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Are free episodes of popular television network programs going away? With Hulu Plus and other possible solutions, they just may be. The notion of “cutting the cord” and staying online for program content may just be a passing fad. ABC, NBC and CBS have made their content at TV.com and ABC.com unreachable by the Google browser, and, as a result, by Google TV.
The indication seems to be that ad-supported, free episodes may soon be a thing of the past. During the heat of the Fox/Cablevision dust-up on retransmission, Fox blocked Cablevision subscribers from accessing popular network programs such as Glee online. Although online access was restored within hours, this added fuel to the fire and may be the direction that the networks will take. Read more
Hulu Plans Subscription Service
Posted by Steve Fravel on Thursday, April 22, 2010 · ·
The popular and trendy on-line video site Hulu has released information concerning a test of subscription service that is likely to begin near the end of May.
According to the subscription proposal; the plan calls for Hulu to continue offering “free” access to the five most recent episodes of programs like Lost, Saturday Night Live, Grey’s Anatomy, Parenthood and Glee.
Those who may want to “dig deeper” in time and look at older episodes from previous seasons would be required to pay a $9.95 monthly access fee. This fee would allow the viewer to choose from a more complete catalog of program episodes. The pay service is reported to be named “Hulu Plus.”
Hulu which is jointly owned by NBC Universal, New Corp and the Walt Disney Company is currently second in monthly video stream consumption to the number one ranked YouTube service.
The subscription for Hulu is a major change in the way in which Hulu has been doing business over the past two years. The Hulu owners are concerned that too much free access to content will dilute the value of on-line television in a manner similar to the music industry whose revenues dropped due to free access to songs on-line.