First we lost the CW shows, and now Hulu is shutting off free streaming altogether, instead adopting Netflix’s subscription-only model.
It’s the end of the world as we know it. (Okay, it’s not really that bad, but TV is very important to us!)
Hulu has announced that it is moving away from free, ad-supported streaming of TV shows, opting instead to become a completely subscription-based streaming service, in an effort to compete with Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Yup — that means no more free episodes of The Mindy Project. We’re bummed, too.
This news comes just weeks after we learned that Hulu would no longer be streaming CW programming. While that was a nuisance at the time, it seems now it hardly matters — now we can’t avoid subscribing at all, no matter what shows we want to watch!
Related: Live TV is officially coming to Hulu — Goodbye, cable box?
Hulu currently offers two subscription options: Pay $7.99 per month to watch shows with commercials, or $11.99 per month to get your Netflix-y ad-free experience.
Variety notes that Hulu’s restructuring comes along with an expanded distribution deal with Yahoo. Yahoo is launching its own ad-supported TV streaming site Yahoo View Monday, where you can watch the last five episodes of ABC, NBC and Fox series eight days after their original air date, along with “full seasons of anime and Korean drama,” for those so inclined.
It’s a frustrating time to be a TV fan in general, what with Netflix hiking up its prices while enticing us with cool new things like Stranger Things and the Gilmore Girls revival.
Now we just hope Spotify doesn’t get any ideas!
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