In just over two months, Hulu has moved from private beta to the No. 10 online video streaming site.
In doing so, Hulu bests all of the major networks — NBC and Fox (Hulu’s parents), ABC, and CBS. It’s an impressive feat.
At the same time, Hulu is expanding its content footprint by adding seven partners, meaning its library of current and vintage TV shows will be more widely available. Hulu videos will be distributed on entertainment and social networking sites TV.com, TVGuide.com, BuddyTV, Flixster.com, MyYearbook.com, Break.com, and Zap2it.com.
“While it is extremely early in terms of Hulu’s history of serving users, we’re quite excited to see such positive trends in Hulu’s growth and viewership,” Jason Kilar, Hulu’s chief executive officer, told Reuters.
In April, people watched 63.2 million videos on Hulu and its partners’ sites and spent on average 129.3 minutes per month, beating nearest rival ABC.com (60.8 million videos, an average of 57.3 minutes).
Just out of curiosity, when was the last time you wanted to get together with friends to watch such movies as “Convoy,” “Captain Kid,” “Day of the Triffids,” “Ultrachrist!” or “Monster from a Prehistoric Planet?”
Lycos, the Web portal from the Palaeozoic Era of the Internet, has given movie lovers the chance to simultaneously watch films like these since the launch of Lycos Cinema more than a year ago.
Today Lycos relaunched the Cinema product with added features: You can now purchase video-on-demand streams for you and your buddies to watch simultaneously on different computers, and interact socially through an improved user interface.
Lycos accomplishes simultaneous viewing through its patented “SimulStream” technology, which brings friends together to view film or other video content in public or in private screening rooms. People can talk real-time about the movie they are watching together.
A redesigned user interface highlights’ friends’ media preferences with personal calendars (for movie scheduling), watch lists, and recently purchased movies, in addition to an improved chat client to talk while viewing the film.
In just over two months, Hulu has moved from private beta to the No. 10 online video streaming site.
