Disney is looking to purchase AT&T’s stake in Hulu as it looks to solidify control of the platform. This should not come as a surprise considering Disney’s upcoming buyout of FOX. Once the two acquisitions are final Disney will control 70% of Hulu. And even more so with Comcast looking to get into its own streaming platform in the next two-years it could mean that Disney will control hundred percent of Hulu by 2021. Disney looks to be leveraging Hulu as an edgier Additional Disney content option.
The plans would coincide with AT&T’s interest in unloading assets it inherited from Warner media. Since AT&T’s merger with Warner the company has been getting out from under other streaming properties such as niche products like the Korean entertainment service Drama Fever. There has been reporting to indicate that AT&T wishes to launch some form of streaming service of its own leveraging the assets gained from Warner including HBO. There is no HBO content on Hulu as it currently lives on HBO, the direct to consumer HBO Now, and still for a short time on Amazon Prime.
By taking more control of Hulu Disney will be able to craft it into the other arm of its streaming ambitions and even offer a live TV package. Currently the Hulu live TV package is tied with AT&T’s DirecTV Now as the second most popular live TV streaming option behind Sling TV.
