Weekend Reader: Hulu, Stage6, WB
Don’t miss these interesting online video weekend reads. Click through to find out about:
- Hulu’s developers burning through $15 million and hamming for the camera. This Fortune story is all Hulu coronation until CBS’ Quincy Smith steals the show in the second-to-last paragraph, with a couple nonchalant money quotes. Hulu CEO Jason Kilar calls him nearly every day, Smith says; so far he’s not convinced. “If the web is just another way to watch TV, I think I’m going to slit my wrists.” Confession: I may have missed seeing this story last night while watching Arrested Development on Hulu yet again. Bets are on Hulu launching next week. (Fortune)
- LiveUniverse complaining about DivX not letting it buy Stage6. Who knew you could pack so much drama into a press release? LiveUniverse wanted to pay $3 million plus revenue guarantees to combine Stage6 with its recent Revver acquisition and its LiveVideo site. DivX declined and shut down Stage6. Now LiveUniverse has launched a LiveVideo account (huh?) for shareholders to rally around. Meanwhile: Stage6 used its home page to encourage its former users to use Veoh. (press release)
- The WB reincarnating as a web site. WB-produced series from its defunct network will get a second life online, according to MediaWeek. That means Gilmore Girls, Everwood and What I Like About You for sure, and potentially outside-produced stuff like Buffy the Vampire Slayer (which is actually already on Hulu), Felicity and Dawson’s Creek. Basically, all the stuff women of a certain age own on DVD and wonder why. Warner Bros. did not confirm the project. Related: Television Without Pity’s founders left the site a year after being acquired by Bravo. (MediaWeek)
Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.
Go DivX!