JasonKilar
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Verizon buys a video startup for its tech, kills the service
Verizon announced today that they'd acquired former Hulu CEO Jason Kilar's startup, Vessel, a subscription service for short-form video. Or to be more exact, they bought its technology and product but will be closing the service. Kilar won't be coming along as part of the deal, but many of the startup's employees and its cofounder and CTO Richard Tom will, to become CTO of Verizon's digital entertainment efforts.
Vessel brings its YouTube-like subscription service to Android
Vessel launched as a YouTube alternative with exclusive early access to ad-free content for $3 a month. Beginning today, it's available for Android in beta form. The service launched in March for iOS with videos from A&E, Rheet & Link, Unbox Therapy, Warner Music Group and others. While most of the content is available for free, subscribers get early access to select videos and an ad-free experience. To help it become a destination for impatient video fans, the company has been attempting to lure YouTube stars away from the Google-owned video site. Now it just needs to lure eyeballs away.
Hulu's former leader makes his answer to YouTube available to everyone
Want to know how the former CEO of Hulu would build a video service that could take on YouTube? You now have an easy way to find out: after a couple of months of invitation-only testing, Vessel is available to everyone. As promised, Jason Kilar's newly launched brainchild is a mix of ordinary, ad-supported free video with a premium tier. Pay $3 per month (you get a free year if you sign up in the first three days) and you'll both ditch ads as well as get early access to videos from a mix of internet stars and conventional media outlets, including A&E, Rhett & Link, Unbox Therapy and Warner Music Group. At least some content isn't affected by that time delay, though, so you'll still have some comedy, music videos and news to watch if you're not especially patient.
Hulu's former CEO lets you try his YouTube alternative
Hulu's ex-CEO Jason Kilar has been extolling the virtues of Vessel, his would-be YouTube rival, for weeks. Today, though, you can finally find out whether or not it's all that it's cracked up to be -- Vessel has launched an invitation-only public beta. You'll have to watch on an iOS device or the web (Android is coming "soon"), but you'll otherwise have a month's worth of unfettered access to the service's early, professional-level content. There's no word on when Vessel will be available invitation-free. Even so, the beta is at least proof that the video hub exists as more than just a well-meaning concept.
Hulu's former chief shows how he'll take on YouTube
If you've been wondering exactly how former Hulu CEO Jason Kilar would take on internet video heavyweights like YouTube, you now have your answer. Kilar's startup, Vessel, has both opened the doors to video producers and revealed just how you'll use the service when it's open to the public. There will be a regular, ad-laden free version, but you'll also have the option of a $3 per month subscription that gives you both early access and a more "modest" level of advertising. It won't be the ad-free paradise you might like, then, but Vessel is luring creators with higher royalties (they could earn 20 times what they do through ad-only services) and hoping they'll use this to make more and better videos.
Hulu taps Andy Forssell as next CEO following Jason Kilar's departure
We've known since early January that Hulu CEO Jason Kilar will step down sometime in the first quarter, and now that we're well into March, the streaming service has additional news. Writing on the Hulu blog, Kilar said that when he departs "at the end of this quarter," senior vice president of content Andy Forssell will assume the role of CEO. In addition to praising Forssell's efforts in expanding Hulu's list of content partners, Kilar mentioned that Hulu part-owners Disney and News Corporation are finalizing "forward-looking plans" with the site. The exiting CEO isn't exactly leaving a company in a shambles; the 2012 financial results were none too shabby, and the paid Hulu Plus service has ballooned to a healthy 3 million users.
Hulu CEO Jason Kilar announces resignation, will leave company in Q1
Some big news out of Hulu late this afternoon: CEO Jason Kilar has just announced that he will be leaving the company sometime in the first quarter of this year. The news was first reported by Bloomberg News and followed quickly by a blog post from Kilar himself containing the email he sent to his staff. In it, Kilar says that he is now working with the company's board to manage the transition, and also confirms that Senior Vice President and CTO Richard Tom will be leaving along with him. He didn't exactly delve into the reasons for his resignation, though, saying only that the decision has been "one of the toughest I've ever made," and adding that he'll keep the team updated as "dates and other items get solidified."
Hulu CEO recaps the year 2011: 1.5 million on Hulu Plus, no new owner
2011 has come to an end and somewhat surprisingly, Hulu has not changed owners. Following what has become a quarterly habit, CEO Jason Kilar has taken up his blogging pen to recount the company's successes. Hulu Plus has grown to include 1.5 million paying subscribers, which he expects will make up more than half of Hulu's business later this year, while adding 105 percent more content. Expect that trend to continue, with plans to invest $500 million or so in content next year. Of course, this may not do much for those dissatisfied with its ad-supported business model and windowing of content, but right now the focus seems to be on pleasing content owners, who he claims can profit more per subscriber with Hulu than any other service. Check the post for more details and feel free to speculate in the comments what 2012 may hold for the video streaming site -- our money is still on a surprise buyout by Lycos.
Hulu Plus cracks one million paying subscribers, but what's next?
It's almost the official end of summer and just as CEO Jason Kilar forecasted back in July, Hulu has signed up more than 1,000,000 paying Plus subscribers. He made the announcement at a Goldman Sachs investor conference while also mentioning plans to invest $375 million in content this year, even as the questions of who will buy Hulu (if its owners actually follow through with a sale) and Kilar's own fate as its head continue to hang in the air. Hitting the projected numbers, rolling out service internationally and popping up at the f8 Facebook event are all signs Hulu is still making plans for its future, even if we don't know yet where that future will be.
Hulu CEO lays out Q2 results, 875,000 paying subscribers for potential buyers
Five months after laying out Hulu's battle plan, CEO Jason Kilar showed off the company's Q2 stats in an apparent bid to impress potential suitors and possibly secure his own future with the company. The above graph shows Hulu Plus subscriber growth, now above 875k and heading towards the 1 million he predicted it would reach this year by the end of the summer. Other key stats mentioned are the roughly $8 per subscriber that's being paid out to content creators from subscription fees and ad revenues, as well as the 25 million additional devices that have become Hulu Plus enabled in the last several months. Not mentioned in that list are LG TVs, which a separate blog post announced have just received a Hulu Plus app that is even compatible with their Magic Motion gesture control remote. Now that the numbers are laid out and buyers are perusing Hulu's wares, it's simply a matter of time until someone writes a check and we find out what the next chapter of the video streaming site's future holds, whether it fits Kilar's existing vision or something entirely new from whoever purchases it.
Hulu Plus headed to Android, no promises about when
Well, here's a bit of welcome news from Samsung's press conference, though it's got little to do with Samsung itself -- Hulu Plus has finally been confirmed for the Android platform. There's been some friction between Hulu and Google as of late, but it seems preferred partner Samsung is helping to work those differences out, as Hulu CEO Jason Kilar demoed the code-complete app running on this Galaxy S smartphone. He didn't provide a release date, though. Drat.
Hulu CEO: we're 'complementary' to cable
Hoping to trade in your expensive cable or satellite plan for a nice, juicy melon ball of cottage cheese-like... we mean, a portable Hulu Plus subscription at $10 a month? Not so fast, my fine fingered friend, because Hulu CEO Jason Kilar has revealed that killing cable is not a part of the company's evil plan, and he's not entertaining any ideas to the contrary. Kilar told AllThingsD that the service is "broadcast-focused" and "complementary to your cable and satellite service" by design, which is a nice way of saying the incestuous relationships between cable companies, content providers and Hulu itself keep it from offering premium programming -- at least, not at this sort of price. Speaking of getting what you pay for, you may be surprised to hear Hulu Plus displays advertising even if you slap down currency every month, but the CEO said lengthy consumer research found that users were more willing to pay if the service were partially subsidized by ads. Think of them as tiny little brain tenderizers, and we're sure you'll be just fine.
NYT: Hulu planning iPad app, might be subscription based
We've been hearing whispers about a Hulu app for the iPad since the day Apple's tablet was announced, and things are starting to pick up steam: the New York Times says four different people familiar with Hulu's plans have said the app is coming, and that it will potentially require a subscription fee. That either makes a lot of sense (if you're a TV network exec looking to keep the Aston padding on your paycheck) or absolutely none at all (if you're everyone else), but it certainly seems like it's happening -- especially since Hulu CEO Jason Kilar told the Times that he's "open to subscriptions as a complement to the ad-supported model." That's as close to a confirmation as we've ever heard, but we've got a feeling Apple's putting the full-court press on Hulu and other networks like CBS -- we'd expect to see this go from rumor to reality relatively soon.
