Hulu, which currently is available only in the U.S., is looking to expand internationally, and could pick Japan as its next potential market; and it's willing to add new investors to help it get there.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Hulu CEO Jason Kilar said, not surprisingly, that a major stumbling block would be digital rights, since U.S. television shows already are hot properties overseas.
And, while Kilar said the market for U.S. programming overseas was strong, he said "There's a lot of existing relationships in terms of foreign sales," adding that those relationships often include exclusivity.
Kilar declined to name markets the company was considering, but at least one source said Kilar is looking at Japan as a likely target.
Meanwhile, Kilar also said sign ups for Hulu's premium subscription service, Hulu Plus, are tracking ahead of expectations. The company, which is jointly owned by NBC Universal, News Corp. and Disney, launched its $7.99-a-month product last month after a lengthy beta phase. It also dropped the price of the service from $9.99.
Hulu is rumored to be considering an IPO, possibly by the end of the year, seeking to raise $200 million to $300 million. The company said it has more than doubled its ad revenues this year to more than $240 million.
For more:
- see the WSJ article
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