Hulu launches Kids on subscription service

US streaming service Hulu has launched a dedicated kids section on its Hulu Plus premium service, following the lead of its rival Netflix.

Hulu Kids launched yesterday and at launch showcased 43 of the children’s series available on the commercial-free Hulu Plus service.

Titles include Thomas & Friends, Caillou and, following the agreement of a programming deal with Nickelodeon, SpongeBob SquarePants.

Kids and parents can search shows on the new service by the network they came from, ‘PBS’ or ‘Nickelodeon’ for example, or by category.

The Hulu Kids service is available online and via consoles, bit not through the Hulu Android and iOS apps.

Netflix already has a kids-specific area that operates under the ‘Just for Kids’ banner.