Hulu vs. YouTube

Younger audiences are online. 40 million Hispanics will be online by 2015 and will want to get their content through the Internet. It is a reality we all must face. Hispanics watch online videos much more than what the GM does. Spanish-dominant Hispanics are said to have spent 50% more time online than English dominant Hispanics according to ComScore data, June 2011. So we can see there is a powerful market out there, hungry for content and willing to adapt to the industry’s changes.

The Univision/Hulu and Telemundo-mun2/YouTube partnership are both well thought strategies that vary in purpose. Univision is seeking to be proactive and adapt to changing trends. Their partnership with Hulu seeks to attract the younger, growing audience. They are acting as content providers.

Telemundo on the other hand is using the YouTube partnership more as an audience teaser (only providing summaries with English subtitles as of now) and as a medium to drive viewer ship [back to their TV screens]. Telemundo is looking to attract an audience that Univision already dominates. Nonetheless, both networks are positioning themselves to address the future of video content.

So where's the money? Well the Telemundo / You Tube initiative is more advertising driven as viewers can access the videos for free while the Univision move seems to be more of a subscription than advertising driven play. Hulu will have a selection of Spanish-language soap opera dramas / telenovelas (gosh) and other shows from Univision that might draw the attention of loyal TV series followers. Perhaps this platform will not only engage the new millennials but also their parents.

Only time will tell which proves to be more effective and which ends up being more attractive to the rising generations. Hopefully, the growing audience will also ask for more smart, witty programing. Telenovelas are over-rated if you ask me.