Hulu Announces Adding 1 Million Paid Subscribers In Q1 2013; Streamed Over 1 Billion Videos

At today’s Hulu Upfront, the company offered an update on its online TV business, sharing that it had set records for revenue in Q1 2013, and had achieved a new milestone of having streamed over 1 billion videos in the quarter. Hulu’s paid, subscription-based business has grown as well, having doubled over the course of 2012. As of Q1 2013, Hulu Plus, as the premium subscription business is known, passed 4 million subscribers up from 3 million in Q4 2012, and was also setting records for new subscriber additions, the company stated. A significant portion of this growth is coming from mobile, as consumers are switching away from the desktop to watch Hulu’s content on their portable devices, like smartphones and tablets. In 2013 to 2014, Hulu estimates that mobile viewing will account for 15 percent of the video views on its network, despite having been a nonexistent business only two years ago. (Hulu was launched out of beta back in November 2010, originally on the desktop). However, though mobile is becoming an increasingly important screen for viewing content, the company says its “living room” business is growing as well. The service currently works over a number of connected devices, including Apple TV, Roku, and game consoles like the Xbox 360, Wii, and the PS3. Today, this type of usage accounts for 29 percent of Hulu’s consumption, and around 80 percent of Hulu Plus subscribers have watched videos with someone else, the company says. Hulu didn’t break out its advertising revenues in the new report, but stated that viewers stay with the service on average for 45 minutes per session, and this is without fast-forwarding or skipping ads, it touts. (Really? Apparently, as with recorded programs on DVRs, Hulu viewers must forget they have the option, or are distracted with other things.) The company also took the time to highlight some of its investments in original content, an initiative which all the major video providers are?pursuing?today including also Netflix, Amazon, Yahoo, YouTube, and others. Two new TV shows were announced during Hulu’s upfront: “Quick Draw,” a half-hour western comedy from writer/director Nancy Hower and writer/star John Lehr; and “East Los High,” a teen-focused drama, which may be an industry first for offering an all-Latino cast, director, writers and creators, many from East L.A. themselves. Hulu also has nine other Original Series ready for Summer 2013, including also??The Awesomes,? ?Behind the

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