Media corporations Fox and NBC Universal have created Hulu, a video website supported by advertising, which is said to be a new way to watch television. According to a CNN report, the made-up word, Hulu, happens to sound like Chinese for interactive recording.
This project, regarded as the film and TV industry’s best effort to carve a place for itself in the rapidly changing world of digital media, will have its first screen test this month. News of Hulu have generated much scepticism.
The initial success of the website is attributed to its power and simplicity. Hulu creators gave attention to detail on the user’s experience. When visiting Hulu, you are met by a big screen offering a TV clip with a prominent watch-now button, and can scroll through half a dozen featured offerings and browse the most popular episodes.
The viewer can also search shows by name, from vintage NBC series such as McHale’s Navey to the latest episode of Fox’s The Simpsons. You can search for legally-available productions that are on the Internet, even for competitor broadcaster content like ABC’s Desperate Housewives.
Hulu CEO Jason Kilar, a technology veteran who worked at Amazon for nine years, worked with experienced staff including his friend and former Microsoft engineer Eric Feng, and exceptional software. The result is an elegantly transparent interface that has wowed even its biggest detractors.
