Viacom in talks to return Daily Show, Colbert to Hulu
updated 02:35 pm EST, Mon January 3, 2011
Viacom, Hulu, in talks to bring back Daily Show
The The Daily Show and The Colbert Report could come back to the Hulu streaming service, a weekend report claimed. The two shows were pulled early last year when Comedy Central, owned by Viacom, and Hulu didn't agree on a price for distribution. Insiders for the New York Times said executives at the two were nonetheless negotiating for a return last month.
The same sources said the two sides wished to come to an understanding. Back when they were airing, both shows accounted for about 140 hours of video per year. In March, Comedy Central insisted on an upfront payment for the shows as they reportedly drew new "halo" users.
Whether the upfront payment was part of the new talks remains unknown. Representatives for the parties involved in the negotiations didn't comment.
A key decider may be the Hulu Plus monthly subscription service in addition to free content. While both The Daily Show and The Colbert Report are free to watch on the Comedy Central site, the approach would let Viacom withhold some or all access outside of the $8 monthly fee as an incentive to buy in. Partial access, such as just to the most recent episodes, is more likely as the company might have difficulty putting otherwise free shows completely behind a subscription wall.
