Hulu Could Roll Out An Ad-Free Option This Fall
By Angie Han/July 19, 2015 9:00 am EST
Happily, that might be changing. Hulu is reportedly considering an ad-free subscription tier, though it’ll cost you a bit more than the standard subscription. More about the possible Hulu ad-free option after the jump.
Although Hulu has not formally announced plans for an ad-free option, insiders who spoke with the Wall Street Journal indicate the company is exploring the option. (They also mention the project’s in-house codename is NOAH, for “No Ads Hulu,” which isn’t really relevant but is kind of cute.) The new feature could be available as early as this fall.
The Hulu ad-free option is designed to help the company battle the services mentioned above, which already allow subscribers to enjoy shows and movies with no commercial interruptions. The idea is to target TV viewers who’d opt to forgo Hulu altogether rather than sit through those ads.
However, the luxury pricing ensures that not everyone will switch over, which would be bad for Hulu. The service currently makes its money selling ads, and would lose out on that business if too many users went ad-free. Moreover, it’s owned by the parent companies of NBC, Fox, and Disney, who are none too happy with the cultural shift away from ad-supported programming.
