First Netflix, Now Hulu: The CW Signs Another Streaming Deal

Sure, AMC makes a bundle per episode under their current streaming-distribution deal with Netflix for "Breaking Bad," "Mad Men" and most recently "The Walking Dead."

But with the most recent deal The CW just signed -- hot on the heels of their own four-year Netflix licensing agreement -- the network is fast becoming an omnipresent online-streaming juggernaut.

Deadline reports that the network home of such hit shows as “Supernatural,” “Gossip Girl,” “The Vampire Diaries” and the recently departed “Smallville” has signed a five-year, non-exclusive deal to bring over 700 hours of programming to Hulu and the premium Hulu Plus service for on-demand streaming.

“As we increase the amount of year round original programming on The CW, this deal provides our shows with greater exposure on a new platform, helping build even more awareness that will drive viewers back to the network and its affiliates,” said CW President Mark Pedowitz. “We see this as a win for everyone involved, the network, the stations, Hulu and ultimately, the viewers."

Hulu Senior VP of Content Andy Forssell chimed in that “The CW programming is a great example of the kind of in-season content we want to make available on our service – high-quality, engaging, serialized shows that fans passionately love.”

As someone who’s probably (at least temporarily) on his last legs with cable television service, I can safely say that this was a well-timed, very intelligent move by The CW. Since the economy and job markets respectively went south without signs they’d come up for air soon, cable television service has become an expendable luxury.

And since all TV broadcasts went digital, the alternatives have sucked: one either pays for cable TV one can’t necessarily afford, gets a digital-converter box that offers reception that could be good or bad based on any number of momentary variables – or scrap TV altogether and stream shows online (ever heard of this new-fangled "Yidio" thingie?).

I know practically for a fact that after I move in Spring 2012, I won’t be purchasing cable TV service. My TV set will be used pretty much exclusively for watching DVD and Blu-ray, playing video games and watching various media via Netflix on my PlayStation 3. When I’m out of my home, I have the luxury of streaming content via Netflix on my laptop – something I can’t say for my TV.

What’s more, the Hulu/Hulu Plus agreement covers The CW completely in the emerging market of streaming content via game consoles, since both Hulu Plus and Netflix have applications for the Xbox 360 and PS3.

Finally, let’s face it: look at just how much content The CW is bringing to both services compared with the total offerings from The Big Four networks. They’ve made more of their total library available than CBS, NBC, ABC or FOX. At a time when the internet is giving network and even cable TV a run for their money, the smallest dog in the yard might soon become the leader of the pack.