Hulu moves ahead with sale exploration

The recent surprise buyout offer for Hulu grew serious late Wednesday after CNBC host Julia Boorstin stated that Hulu had taken on Morgan Stanley and Guggenheim to field offers. The bank would help put the TV streaming service on the "auction block" by managing bids and exploring the feasibility of any deal. Boorstin still didn't know who the buyer or buyers might be.

Independently, SAI had ruled out any immediate prospect of an acquisition by Yahoo. It didn't "close the door" on prospects in the future, but the search pioneer wasn't the one behind the sudden flurry of activity.

To date, leaks have only ruled out candidates and scratched both Google and Yahoo out of the equation. Speculatively, some have suggested it might be Facebook hoping to become a media hub or Netflix looking to get better TV deals. Apple isn't considered likely both out of Steve Jobs' preference for non-subscription content and a comparatively secure relationship with studios.

Hulu hasn't formally acknowledged any of the talks.

By Electronista Staff