TV Answer Man, I saw something about Hulu’s live service raising prices again. Didn’t they just raise the price? I am so sick of these companies always raising their prices on us. — Barbara, Toledo, Ohio.
Barbara, Hulu Live will increase its ads-included monthly price from $64.99 to $69.99 on December 21. The edition without ads will rise from $70.99 a month to $75.99 a month. The last time the live streamer raised its price was in December of last year when its ads-included edition jumped from $54.99 a month to $64.99 a month.
But there is something different about this rate hike. Disney, which owns Hulu, is bundling Disney+ and ESPN+ with the increase. So you will get all three streaming services for $70.99 or $75.99 a month, depending upon which version you get.
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You might say, hey TV Answer Man, I don’t want the bundle. I just want Hulu Live — and I don’t want to pay more for it. They can keep Disney+ and ESPN+ and let me keep the cheaper Hulu.
Sorry, no dice. The bundle, and the higher price, are not optional. You want Hulu Live? You’ll have to pay more and take the bundle along with it.
Disney is looking to expand its audience for Disney+ and ESPN+, and it’s using Hulu Live’s roughly four million subscriber base to do it. That may not seem fair, but that’s the nature of the TV business as cable and satellite subscribers have long known. The programming bundle still reigns supreme.
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Barbara, hope that makes sense. Happy viewing, and stay safe!
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvpredictions.com. Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
Well YOU can THANK THE USLESS DESPERATE ESPN SPORTS CLOWNS SERVICE for “hiding” the TRUTH into WHY they are raising the cost AGAIN (and AGAIN AND AGAIN) until they no lon;)onger CAN…in the MEAN TIME…just bend over and…SMILE !
We canceled HULU immediately, when we got the price increase notice. We simply do not watch Disney or ESPN, and are not subsidize others to do so. Sling Blue cost less than half what Hulu Live cost us, and we are happy.
Hate to inform everybody but these new services will eventually be the same price as cable-tv, especially when you have to get 1 from column A, 1 from B and so on… But that is what everybody wanted. The ability to choose channels…
It’s the same wolf in the same sheep’s cloth, just a new colour thread.
Anyone who expects that TV prices will remain the same forever certainly has not been paying attention. Streaming remains a great value when compared to traditional cable TV. Last year YouTube TV added a bunch of channels that I never watch. I have removed them from my custom lineup. And then a couple months later they raised the price $15 a month. Hulu at $69.99 a month with Disney+ and ESPN+ is a great value. YOU may not want those extra services, but many have them now and will save money. $14.98 worth of streaming for $5 more a month. So go and switch back to cable and then tell me about your $17.99 a month local broadcast fees and box fees and DVR service fees and franchise fees. Streaming still is the better value. For me to get the same channels as I get right now on YTTV on cable TV would cost much, much more. And then I would not have 6 accounts, unlimited DVR, etc.