Hulu is beefing up the linear channel lineup on its Hulu Plus Live streaming TV service, adding 14 channels from independent programmers Allen Media Group, Hallmark Media and Vevo.
"We have been listening to our subscribers and are thrilled to bring some of their most requested channels to our service just in time for the holidays," said Reagan Feeney, senior VP, live TV content programming and partnerships for Hulu. "With these additions, Hulu Plus Live TV continues to be one of the most valuable live TV streaming destinations on the market, offering subscribers access to more than 85 live channels and entire on-demand content libraries from Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus."
Hulu Plus Live now offers about 85 live linear channels.
The Walt Disney Co. owns a controlling interest in Hulu. Last week during its earnings report, Disney said that Hulu Plus Live added 400,000 subscribers in the third quarter giving it a total of 4.4 million.
The first channels became available on November 1, when the Weather Channel and Comedy.tv, both from AMG, came on line.
On Monday Hulu is adding Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries and Hallmark Drama. Hallmark Media has been making a distribution push with its channels recently becoming available via NBCUniversal’s Peacock and low-cost family-friendly TV service Frndly TV.
On December 1, Hulu will add six channels from music programmer Vevo and three more from Allen Media Group.
The Vevo channels are Vevo Pop featuring Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Camila Cabello, Vevo Hip-Hop, playing Lil Baby, Kendrick Lamar, Drake; Vevo Country with Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Kane Brown; Vevo ‘80s, bringing back the sounds of Bon Jovi, Whitney Houston and Cyndi Lauper; Vevo ‘90s with Nirvana, Mariah Carey, TLC and Backstreet Boys; and Vevo Holiday, with classic and newer yuletide hits.
In the past year, Vevo’s channels have been added to TelevisaUnivision’s ViX and The Roku Channel.
The channels from media mogul Byron Allen being added in December are TheGrio Television Network, JusticeCentral.TV and The Weather Channel en Español.
“Partnering with Hulu is another major step in the continued growth and expansion of our Allen Media Group television networks,” said Allen, founder/chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group. “Hulu is a phenomenal platform showcasing excellent content. We are thrilled to add our networks to the Hulu Plus Live TV lineup, and we look forward to a long relationship for years to come.”
AMG has 12 television networks. In addition to Hulu, they are carried on Comcast, DirecTV, YouTube TV, Spectrum, Altice, Dish , Verizon FiOS, Cox Communications and Mediacom. ■
