Hulu fans, rest easy: Long-overdue contracts that ensure the continuation of programming from Fox, ABC and NBC should finally be signed and in place by the end of next week. All Things Digital’s MediaMemo blog is reporting that negotiations between the VoD site and the networks (all of which have ownership stakes in Hulu) have finally reached an agreement initially expected two years ago, ending concerns that the service would die from a lack of interest or content in a landscape now dominated by Netflix.
Details of the new agreements remain to be seen, but AllThingsD suggests that Hulu’s web presence will remain similar to its current state with a free, ad-supported service and additional programming available through paid subscription, with the possibility of mobile and tablet apps in the near future. As the site says, “The new deal terms are unlikely to change things that will be obvious to casual Hulu users.” Expect updates next week.
More on Techland:
Hip Kids Contribute to TV Ownership Decline
Hulu Plus Is Great on Xbox Live; With Kinect, Not So Much
Why Aren’t More Cable Shows on Hulu? Because Old People and Contracts Suck, Apparently