Hulu has added The CW to its live TV service, which now includes all five major U.S. broadcasters.

The deal with the Warner Bros. and CBS Corp. company follows pacts with NBC, Fox, ABC and CBS that have been in place since Hulu launched the live service in May.

RELATED: Hulu Enters Pay-TV Race with Launch of Live TV Service

In the coming months, Hulu says, subscribers will be able to watch CW series such as The Flash, Riverdale, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Supernatural when they air on linear TV, as well as access the network’s local programming.

“The CW is excited to be a part of Hulu’s groundbreaking new live TV service,” Chris Brooks, executive vice president, network distribution, The CW, said in a statement. “This new partnership furthers our goal of expanding our audience across digital platforms.”

CW series were previously available through Hulu’s on-demand service, but the licensing agreement ended in 2016. This new deal gives Hulu a leg up on Netflix, which currently streams CW shows eight days after their seasons end.

The move appears to go hand in hand with The CW’s demographic of youthful viewers who are generally more apt to cut their cable cords.

“The CW has long attracted younger audiences to live TV, so we are very happy to offer the network through Hulu’s new live service,” Tim Connolly, senior vice president, strategic partnerships and distribution, said in a statement.

Cable networks available on Hulu’s live TV service include: ESPN, CNN, CNBC, Fox News, Fox Business, Fox Sports, MSNBC, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, TNT, Bravo, E!, A&E, Cartoon Network/Adult Swim, Disney Channel, Freeform, FX, History, Lifetime, National Geographic, TBS, USA Network, and Viceland.

Hulu also inked a distribution deal with Scripps Networks Interactive to bring HGTV, Travel Channel and Food Network to the $39.99 per month service, and it carries regional sports networks from Comcast and Fox, and Showtime for an additional $9.

Missing from the lineup are Viacom networks such as Comedy Central and BET and MTV, as well as station affiliates that have not yet signed rights deals with the service.

READ MORE: Variety, The Verge

Tags:


  Save as PDF