Hulu's New Live TV Streaming Service Offers Over 50 Channels For $39.99

by Alexies Fraser / May 08, 2017 10:42 AM EDT

Craig Erwich, SVP and Head of Content at Hulu, speaks onstage at the Hulu 2015 Summer TCA Presentation at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on August 9, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California.

Hulu has launched its own live TV streaming service, a beta version of “Hulu with Live TV” that offers around 50 channels. “Hulu with Live TV” subscription costs $39.99 and will allow users to stream live and on-demand programming from over than 50 TV channels. These channels are variety of live news, entertainment, and sports. It also includes access to Hulu's existing $7.99 premium streaming subscription as well as access to company's library of archived content of 3,500 film and TV titles.

With Hulu’s live TV streaming service, it offers shows from major broadcast networks including ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. Moreover, the company has made a deal with Scripps Network that will offer channels such as including HGTV, Travel Channel, and Food Network.

Another set of major networks included in the “Hulu with Live TV” subscription like CBS Sports, FS1, FS2, ESPN, ESPNU, and NBCSN. It is also likely that Hulu live TV streaming will offer shows from Walt Disney Company, 21st Century Fox, Comcast, and Time Warner. However, the total channels will vary depending on where the subscriber lives.

“We’ve been on a path of making really good shows over the last year, and this one feels like it has a real chance to break through in a way that we’ve been trying to but haven’t quite done so yet. If that happens, it will be a really good thing for us as a company and a brand,” said Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins in a statement.

Hulu hopes that its new streaming service will compete with other existing live-TV services from Sony's Playstation Vue, Google's YouTube TV, and Dish Network's Sling TV. The company claims that it offers a simple and engaging interface along with its exclusive library of archived content. “Hulu with Live TV” will help in increasing the number of subscribers beyond its current level of around 12 million.

Currently, Hulus’s live TV service will be available on Apple TV, Xbox One and Chromecast, and both on iOS and Android mobile devices. Other devices like Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Samsung smart TVs will be followed soon.

Another Hulu’s offer is an add-on for $14.99 per month that allows subscriber to stream to an unlimited number of devices at home or three devices on the go. Additional $14.99 monthly will expand the user’s Cloud DVR for saving up to 200 hours of movies and TV shows.