NBC, Telemundo join Hulu live TV service

A preview of Hulu’s live TV offering

US broadcast networks NBC and Telemundo are joining Hulu’s live TV streaming service.

A deal with NBCUniversal will see the networks offered on the upcoming pay TV service.

USA Network, Syfy, Bravo, E!, MSNBC, CNBC and NBCSN are also included in the deal.

NBCU parent Comcast is a silent partner in Hulu, which also counts 21^st Century Fox, Time Warner and The Walt Disney Company as co-owners.

Following the deal, Hulu’s US$40-a-month live TV service will launch with more than 50 channels, including networks from all major providers.

The agreement also “includes a framework for licensing the NBC and Telemundo broadcast affiliates for carriage”.

Fox, Turner, Disney and CBS Corp. channels are already signed up, with Hulu’s skinny bundle offer targeted at millennial audiences will not take expensive US cable packages.

“NBC Universal is home to many of today’s leading sports, news, entertainment and lifestyle networks – brands that not only draw large audiences but also drive pop culture,” said Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins.

“With this agreement in place, Hulu will soon provide an affordable, complete live TV package that includes all four major broadcast networks, the top-rated cable news channels, a massive sports offering and our deep existing premium streaming library for under US$40.”

“Growing our audiences is an important priority and this partnership will help bring our networks to new customers,” said Matt Bond, chairman of NBCUniversal Content Distribution.