Hulu, the currently US-only online video service jointly run by Fox, NBCU and Disney, has begun signing content deals with international television producers, perhaps hinting at a global launch in the near future.
In under 18 months, Hulu has moved to become the third place video site online, behind YouTube and Fox Interactive, seeing 380 million clips viewed last month.
The main complaint with the service is the fact that it does not exist outside the US, but it appears Hulu is ready to expand the service to eight “leading broadcast markets.”
“We’re having discussions in the top six to eight markets…we’re laying the groundwork,” noted Andy Forssell, senior vice president of content acquisition and distribution.
In the UK, Hulu has signed deals with Endemol (producer of Big Brother) and Digital Rights Group, which will bring episodes of Green Wing, Peep Show and Doc Martin.
The large Bollywood distributor Saavn has also signed a deal with the online video site.
Result for: big brother
The Vänsterpartiet, translated to the Left Party of Sweden, held its annual congress last weekend and passed a motion that will legalize the online sharing of copyright material.
During the debate on whether to pass the measure, the infamous torrent tracker The Pirate Bay was cited as why current copyright legislation is outdated.
“The farce that is the ongoing legal procedures against The Pirate Bay also shows how legal security is in risk of being compromised by those trying to enforce the current ban on file sharing.”
Members continued on, “To many of us in the Left Party, file sharing is something positive in the same obvious way that public libraries are.”
Additionally, the measure asks for the end of “big brother” tactics such as surveillance, entrapment and lawsuits for alleged pirates.
The party only holds 22 seats in the Swedish parliament currently but hopefully this measure will see the light with the other political parties in Sweden.
Result for: big brother
JVC has announced that it will be introducing the “industry’s thinnest” 1080p LCDs with built-in TV tuners next month.
At its deepest, the new 42-inch LT-42SL89 and the 46-inch LT-46SL89 are 2.9 inches deep, and each come equipped with new backlight paneling and power supply substrates making each set lighter and more efficient. Each set also boast Full HD 1080p resolution (1920×1080).
The new sets will be part of the JVC Procision line and the newly developed technologies should help the company put out even slimmer TVs in the future. “The backlight is 40 percent slimmer than the old panel, and weighs in at 26.5lbs while consuming 145W. The slimmer backlight was made possible not with more parts but with a more efficient integration of them,” JVC says. The added low power consumption is accomplished “via the use of a direct-mount power substrate that does not use a fan to dissipate heat.”
Other specifications include the now standard three HDMI, S-video, two component and a PC input. There will also be a built-in USB port for viewing videos and listening to MP3s.
The LT-42SL89 has a street price of $1899 USD while its big brother has a $2400 USD price tag.
