Taking ongoing discord about streaming rights up a notch, Fox has rolled out a 24-hour live feed on Hulu in more than 70 markets where affiliates are not onboard, according to The Wall Street Journal.
According to the report, Fox is airing content from the network’s cable channels in place of locally produced and syndicated programming. Hulu is partially owned by Fox. Stations in Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati are among those affected, the Journal reports, and include Sinclair and Raycom-owned stations.
Jeff Rosser, Raycom’s VP of television and former chairman of the Fox affiliates board, said Fox’s Hulu feed is no surprise, as the network has been vocal in its intent to launch on the range of streaming platforms whether or not affiliates join. Fox and its affiliates have not yet struck a deal laying out the terms of OTT carriage the way the other Big Three network and affiliates boards have over the last year or so, Rosser said.
“Fox has not chosen to sit down with the board and hammer out (an OTT carriage agreement) and that’s disappointing,” Rosser said. The other networks and affiliates working “long and hard” to reach agreements that will allow affiliates to opt into streaming deals shows it’s doable, he said.
“We have not recommended or turned down anything,” he said, adding he expects Fox to launch similar live feeds on other platforms.
Neither representatives of Fox nor Hulu were available for comment.
