Although FOX no longer owns a percentage of Hulu, the relationship between the two companies remains strong. That relationship was further strengthened on Monday, when the two sides announced a new deal that will allow Hulu to continue streaming FOX shows on its platform for multiple years, according to a Deadline-exclusive report.
Customers won’t notice much new on the Hulu side of the deal. The agreement covers next-day streams of FOX primetime shows that are currently in season. Shows covered in the arrangement include animated staples like “Family Guy” and “The Simpsons,” as well as live-action series such as “The Accused” and “The Masked Singer.”
The new deal does include one feature users might take note of: more cross-platform branding. Joint FOX and Hulu branding will appear on FOX content on all of its various platforms, as well as on Hulu.
“Continuing to be the next-day streaming home for current FOX hits, along with out-of-season episodes of well-loved FOX titles, reinforces Hulu’s unique position in the streaming space – as the only SVOD service to carry next-day series from multiple broadcast networks,” said Joe Earley, President of Hulu. “Fox has always been a great partner, but now [CEO of FOX Entertainment Rob Wade] and his teams are leveling-up our relationship with their new marketing commitments, helping viewers understand where they can watch all of these shows.”
Earley’s point about Hulu’s position as the only subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service to carry next-day streams of primetime shows from multiple networks is hardly braggadocio. Hulu carries primetime shows like “Abbott Elementary” from ABC as well as series from FOX, though sadly no content from NBC. That network pulled next-day streams of in-season shows to NBCUniversal’s streaming platform Peacock in September of 2022.
The removal of NBC series to Peacock is part of an ongoing process by which Disney can purchase the 33% of Hulu it does not currently own from NBCU’s parent company Comcast by 2024. Disney, Comcast and FOX all owned equal shares of Hulu until 2019, when Disney acquired most of FOX’s entertainment assets. Judging by the tenor of the two companies in announcing the renewed next-day streaming deal, FOX and Disney have remained on better terms than The House of Mouse has with Comcast.
“Our long-standing, valued partnership with Hulu consistently generates impressive results and creates an important pathway for our scripted, unscripted and animated series to maximize viewer reach,” said Wade. “Under this new deal, Fox solidifies its longer-term streaming strategy, while harnessing the power and strength of both Hulu and Fox to better serve our audiences and bring visibility to premium content across our streaming and linear platforms.”
The agreement between FOX and Hulu was set to expire this September, but Hulu has made a habit of getting deals done with content providers it prizes. The service was also able to come to terms with wrestling entertainment company WWE in November to continue carrying next-day streams of “Monday Night Raw” and “Friday Night Smackdown.”
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