Any doubts that Hulu really is for sale were put to rest today when Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed that the three media companies that own the site--News Corp., Disney and Comcast's NBCUniversal--are "committed to selling" the site.
Iger, at Allen & Co.'s Sun Valley media conference, didn't predict when a sale would occur but predicted it was inevitable.
Nearly a dozen companies are rumored to be actively investigating the company and how it might fit in their own offerings, among them, Google (NASDAQ: GOOG), Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX), Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), Yahoo, Amazon, AT&T (NYSE:T) and Verizon (NYSE: VZ).
Google is predicted to be a front-runner, as it likely sees Hulu as giving it access to Hollywood, which has largely ignored it. But Amazon recently has been talked about in rumors, specifically because Hulu CEO Jason Kilar is a former exec there.
Kilar, currently reported to be working without a contract at Hulu, would likely find a relationship with his former bosses easier than the sometimes-tumultuous one he currently has with his media-company owners.
Kilar said Hulu likely would reach 1 million subscribers to its paid service this year and report $500 million in revenue.
Hulu recently signed content agreements with Disney and News Corp., which should make it more appealing to buyers.
For more:
- see this WSJ article
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