Hulu is adding to its political offerings ahead of the 2018 midterm. The streaming service is bringing ABC News and CBSN to its live TV offerings. Both networks are free, made-for-the-internet news channels that be streamed free elsewhere.
Beginning today, Thursday, October 26th, Hulu users are able to access the channels through Hulu’s Live TV subscriptions. The base $40 plan is the cheapest to offer the channel, this also offers most of the major cable news channels.
Colby Smith, ABC News’ senior VP of content and partnerships, released a statement regarding the “ They’re a major player in the OTT space. We ultimately want [ABC News Live] to be ubiquitous – wherever cord-cutters and young audiences are.”
In 2014, CBS launched CBSN, also seen as a way to reach young audiences and cor-cutters. CBSN joins Hulu as part of an overall deal. CBS, CBS Sports Network, and Pop are already offered on the service. CBSN delivers mostly news coverage but they have released 25 long-form documentaries.
The addition of these channels shows that Hulu is aggressively pursuing those younger audiences and the cord-cutters. After launching their ‘Hulu With Live TV’ subscription service, the streaming service has been adding a ton of popular channels. Premium cable channels such as HBO and Showtime are also available as add-ons with the Live TV offerings.
Variety first reported this story.
