Hulu gets int'l shows, but not users

Hulu, evil as ever, is expanding its global reach, but not in the way that anyone outside the US would like.

The online streaming video site will begin hosting shows from England's Endemol and Digital Rights Group and Bollywood's Saavn, Financial Times reports. That means shows like Green Wing and Doc Martin will be introduced to American audiences.

ADVERTISEMENT

Meanwhile, Hulu also took steps to prevent visitors in other countries from peeping. Previous exploits that either made the user's IP anonymous (to prevent Hulu from knowing the computer's location) or tricked Hulu into thinking the computer was in the US are being shut down, TechCrunch reports. Hulu now requires users to disable their anonymizers to prove they're in the US, effectively blocking anyone -- even people in the states -- who use so-called virtual private networks.

On the bright side, Andy Forssell, Hulu's senior vice president of content acquisition and distribution, tells Financial Times that the company is "laying the groundwork" for a global expansion. Discussions are happening for eight leading broadcast markets.

Still, it's too bad that Hulu is presently blocking access for clever international users. As Techdirt points out, this is probably the work of content providers rather than Hulu itself, but it seems like a missed opportunity. Instead of getting excited for the day when they can watch the site (and maybe evangelizing it to others) without jumping through hoops, these users are given a reason to get bitter.

ADVERTISEMENT

No posts to display