Excited that ABC has done a deal with Hulu so now I can watch all my favourite programmes.... Lost, Greys Anatomy, Private Practice.
The deal brings full-length shows from ABC and Disney cable channels to Hulu, which has built itself into a top video portal in the past year by distributing shows from NBC, Fox and 150 other content partners.
The deal is a sign that online TV and Hulu are becoming part of the mainstream. More people in the U.S. are watching video online than recorded on DVRs, according to Nielsen's most recent "Three Screen" report. Media buyer Magna Global estimates that online-video ad spending will grow to $699 million in 2009 from $530 million in 2008.
Hulu was the No. 2 online video distributor, after YouTube, in March, with 348 million total video streams, according to Nielsen Video Census. ComScore puts Hulu at No. 3 behind YouTube and MySpace Video, with 380 million total streams.