Hulu nabs exclusive rights to Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, TNT, and TBS

By Chris Leo Palermino April 23, 2015

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Today, Hulu gets a little bit funnier. The online video service announced it has acquired the exclusive rights to past seasons of Turner Broadcasting-owned shows on Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, and TBS, as well as select content from the more serious fare offered by TNT.

This new multi-year deal gives Hulu Plus subscribers streaming access to cartoon hits like Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Robot Chicken and The Amazing World of Gumball. It also broadens Hulu’s live-action offerings, including TNT’s The Last Ship and Murder in the First, as well as offering access to future series from TBS and TNT.

The deal particularly sweetens Hulu’s Kids selection, especially considering Cartoon Network’s vast catalog. Hulu Kids will host Cartoon Network programming, which will stream without advertising.

“The addition of multiple titles from Cartoon Network represents a significant step forward in continuing to build a strong programming offering for the kids audience on Hulu,” said Hulu senior VP head of content Craig Erwich to AdAge.

As for Time Warner-owned Turner, the deal opens up a new online revenue stream for the content creator, which had previously licensed the channels to Netflix in 2013.

“This is a great opportunity to grow the reach of the networks’ original programming and complements our strategy of utilizing multiple platforms — including SVOD — to drive sampling, introduce new viewers to our content and give current fans the opportunity to explore and enjoy Turner’s new and existing series in a branded environment,” said president of Turner Broadcasting David Levy in a statement.

The deal is certainly a win for Hulu, strengthening its offerings as the service continues to compete with Netflix and Amazon Prime. At just 6 million paid subscribers, Hulu currently lags significantly behind Netflix (over 61 million subscribers) and Amazon Prime (50 million subscribers).

The new titles will be available to stream on Hulu beginning May 1st.

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Chris Leo Palermino

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Chris Leo Palermino is a music, tech, business, and culture journalist based between New York and Boston. He also contributes…

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