Live TV service Hulu adds Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and additional channels to its lineup.
In a move to bolster its live TV offering, Hulu has entered into a partnership with ViacomCBS. This partnership will see more than a dozen new channels, including Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, and others, added to Hulu's live TV bundle.
The Smithsonian Channel, The CW, and PVOD through Showtime are already offered as a premium selection on Hulu, adding an additional $11 per month to the cost of a user's plan. With the new addition, Hulu subscribers can now look forward to accessing a wide range of content from ViacomCBS.
However, it is still unclear whether these new channels will be included in the base tier or as part of separately bundled add-ons. The details around tiering and the timing of the new channels' availability are not yet shared by ViacomCBS.
The partnership does not affect the availability of Showtime as a premium selection on Hulu. In fact, it ensures Hulu + Live TV subscribers can access the full breadth of ViacomCBS's leading content across news, sports, and entertainment for the first time.
The new channels include Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, VH1, MTV, MTV2, MTV Classic, CMT, TV Land, BET, BET Her, Nick Jr., NickToons, and TeenNick.
While the addition of these new channels is welcome news for many Hulu subscribers, it might not make up for the loss of regional sports coverage that Hulu has recently experienced. Hulu has lost support for Fox regional sports, a move that has left sports enthusiasts seeking alternatives.
ViacomCBS's Ray Hopkins expressed excitement about the expanded agreement with Hulu, stating that it represents a significant step forward in the company's efforts to deliver its content to audiences wherever and whenever they want it.
Recently, both the ad-free and ad-supported versions of Hulu's live TV bundle have seen a price hike of approximately $10 per month. The new channels will likely add to the overall cost, although the pricing and rollout details are yet to be shared.
As Hulu continues to expand its live TV offering, it remains to be seen how this will impact its subscriber base and its position in the increasingly competitive streaming market.
