GCI joined Suddenlink and Cablevision Systems among a growing group of U.S. MVPD to integrate Hulu on MSO-leased boxes, but also like those operators, GCI's integrated offering does not support content from CW and Univision.
The Hulu sites for GCI, Suddenlink and Cablevision all include the following disclaimer: "CW and Univision content is not available through Hulu on your cable provider’s set top box. You may still be able to watch this content through other Hulu-supported devices."
Due to streaming rights, content from select partners -- in this case, CW and Univision – isn’t available on certain devices, Multichannel News has learned. However, users can still stream that content through other Hulu-supported platforms.
GCI, meanwhile, follows Suddenlink to offer Hulu on its TiVo-powered set-top boxes. Cablevision, the first U.S. MVPD to distribute Hulu on set-top boxes, is enabling Hulu using ActiveVideo’s CloudTV StreamCast, a technology that converts user interfaces, video and other content from Web formats to formats that can be rendered and displayed by non-IP or incompatible IP set-tops.
Hulu has also announced distribution deals with MVPDs and ISPs including AT&T, Armstrong, Atlantic Broadband, Mediacom Communications, Midcontinent Communications and WideOpenWest (WOW!).
“At GCI, we’re always looking for ways to add value for our GCI TV customers and ensure they have access to the programs they want most,” Paul Landes, SVP of GCI, said in a statement. “We understand that many of our customers prefer on-demand content, and they can now use TiVo powered by GCI to access even more on demand and exclusive content with Hulu.”
GCI ended Q1 2016 with 112,200 basic video subs, and 57,700 digital programming tier subscribers.
