Disney has become the Godfather of the entertainment industry, with the company now controlling virtually half of it, even if it is not necessarily directly. The company is taking over other, smaller companies left and right. As a part of that Odin-like conquest, it took over the streaming platform Hulu last year, in addition to 21st Century Fox and others. For a while, the company did not interfere with the working of it, that is, until now.
As a part of the initiative to restructure Hulu and plan its expansion, the platform’s CEO Randy Freer has stepped down.
This move has come as a part of Disney’s plan to streamline its direct to consumer approach, which also includes Disney+ and ESPN+. As a part of this reorganization, the Hulu executive team will now report directly to their counterparts at Disney’s Direct to Consumer and International business (DTCI), thus cutting the gap between the two organisations. Also, this move will allow Disney to better distribute resources among its various streaming platforms, and will also aid Hulu’s expansion to international markets.
Hulu is a relatively smaller platform, operating only in the United States. This restructuring though could lead it to a comparatively easier and resourceful international expansion. The catalogue on Hulu can also benefit from its partnership with Disney, which now owns Fox Studios as well as FX, which can help the platform host more original content. Also, it can be sold as a bundle in some countries with Disney+ and ESPN+.
Randy joined Hulu in 2017 after having served as COO and President at Fox Networks Group. Under his leadership, Hulu has grown to 29 million subscribers.
Disney is also planning to report its earnings tomorrow, and investors will get an insight into the earnings of Disney+, which the company reports, has amassed 10 million subscribers. This can become very crucial for people who are looking to invest into Disney’s platforms.
