Viacom Will Take ‘Daily Show,’ ‘Colbert’ Off Hulu
Unable to make the digital media dollars add up to their liking, Viacom will remove “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” and other Comedy Central television shows from Hulu next week.
Although the companies said Tuesday evening that they were parting amicably, the decision represents the first major fracture between TV show owners and the wildly popular video Web site.
Viacom’s decision is a serious loss for Hulu — this week “The Daily Show” is listed as the third most-watched TV show on the site — and it is a reminder that content owners can control just how much video — or how little — is placed online for all to view. At the moment, that spigot is being tightened, in part to protect the industry’s primary revenue stream, cable and satellite distribution.
However, the severing of ties with Hulu does not represent a strategic shift for Viacom. Comedy Central will continue to stream full episodes of the shows on TheDailyShow.com and ColbertNation.com, respectively.