Content Providers Force Hulu Content Off Boxee Platform

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 19, 2009 - 9:56am.

Los Angeles - Following its move earlier this week to remove its video programming from CBS-owned (NYSE: CBS) TV.com, Hulu, the video site joint venture between News Corp. (NYSE: NWS) and NBC Universal (NYSE: GE), said it will no longer make its content available through Boxee's media center software. "This has weighed heavily on the Hulu team, and we know it will weigh even more so on Boxee users," Hulu CEO Jason Kilar wrote in a blog post. "Our content providers requested that we turn off access to our content via the Boxee product, and we are respecting their wishes.

"While we stubbornly believe in this brave new world of media convergence -- bumps and all -- we are also steadfast in our belief that the best way to achieve our ambitious, never-ending mission of making media easier for users is to work hand in hand with content owners."

Boxee CEO Avner Rosen wrote in a blog post that its users generated more than 100,000 streams of Hulu content.

"We tried (many times) to plead the case for keeping Hulu on boxee, but on Friday of this week, in good faith, we will be removing it," Rosen wrote.

"We have many content partners who are generating revenue from boxee users and we will work with Hulu and their partners to resolve the situation as quickly as possible."

http://blog.hulu.com/2009/2/19/doing-hard-things

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10167152-93.html