Pardon the pun but I couldn't help myself.
I received my invitation to Hulu's website last night and I am very impressed. Hulu is a video site that has signed content deals with major studios(MGM, Sony), television networks(NBC, Fox), and 15 Cable Channels(such as FX, SciFi, USA).
Unlike Joost, Hulu actually has shows that I want to watch! Hulu features full length episodes of TV series such as The Office, Arrested Development, Family Guy, 30 Rock, The Simpsons, SNL, Chuck, The A-Team, Airwolf, Scrubs, and the movies Blue Brothers and Conan the Barbarian among others.
Hulu creates new channels of distribution for TV Shows. The best feature I have come across so far is that the site allows you to embed the videos on your own site. Not only can you embed full episodes, but you can also create customized clips from shows and embed them as well. It is very easy to create a clip.
FAMILY GUY CLIP: This joke from Family Guy about Ringo Star is hilarious:
FULL OFFICE EPISODE: And it you have the time, watch the most recent episode of The Office (word has it that until the writers strike is over, there will be no more new episodes of The Office):
Advertising revenue generated from this content will strengthen the arguments underlying the Writers Strike. It blows my mind that the studios would open up this site while negotiating with the Writers Union over online advertising profit made from television content posted online. Though the ads in these shows are minimal, they go wherever the clips go. eCRM for each video likely runs $40 - $120 for sponsorship. Therefore, if a given video receives 100,000 views, Hulu stands to generate, at a minimum, $4,000 in ad revenue from sponsorship deals. Considering that these videos can now go anywhere on the web, this estimate may be too low. Regardless, this revenue source will grow at a near exponential rate in the next couple of years and this definitely supports the Writers on strike in Hollywood right now.