Hulu adds Disney, Fox to channels

Disney and Fox have come on board Hulu’s new channels streaming service.

The deals mean nets including ESPN and Fox Sports will be on the upcoming service, as well as Disney Channel, FX and National Geographic among others.

In all, the deals cover 35 nets from Disney and Fox, including their respective broadcast nets ABC and Fox.

Hulu has already inked an affiliate deal with Time Warner’s Turner for channels including TNT, Cartoon Network and CNN.

Disney, Fox and Time Warner are all shareholders in Hulu, as is Comcast, which has yet to agree a channels deals for NBC and its cable nets.

Hulu’s channel streaming service will launch in early 2017 and is expected to offer a raft of streamed channels for about US$40. Hulu currently offers a free service as well as US$7.99 limited commercials, and an advertising free service for US$11.99.

An exact launch date and pricing details of the channels service have yet to be announced.

“We’re building a service that offers subscribers the most sought-after programming on television — and channels from 21st Century Fox and The Walt Disney Company are essential to that mix,” said Mike Hopkins, CEO of Hulu.

“With these two new deals in place, and additional partners to come, Hulu will soon give TV fans of all ages live and on-demand access to their favourite programs in a whole new, more flexible, highly personalised way.”