Hulu's owners might still consider a sale of the company—or some sort of equity transfer—to Google, a source close to the transaction process tells us.
In a press release issued late last night, Hulu's equity owners News Corporation, Providence Equity Partners, and Disney announced a "decision to terminate the Hulu sale process."
But the fact is that Hulu might still end up going to Google.
From the beginning of the Hulu sales process, sources told us that Google was "hanging around the hoop" and that Google has "some big ass ideas" for what it can do with Hulu.
Since then, these sources have told us that while Hulu suitors like Amazon and DISH Network submitted bids approaching $2 billion, Google bid much more - something in the range of $4 billion.
But that bid came with special conditions, which have been previously reported.
Hulu's parent companies told suitors that they would sell the site, its subscription service and the rights to exclusive content for at least two years. But Google wants more content for a longer period of time, and perhaps other concessions as well.
Rumor has it that Larry Page personally flew down to Los Angeles to make Google's case.
The source close to the process says that, despite the press release, what Hulu's parents have actually decided to do is no longer consider a sale of Hulu, the subscription service, and 2-years of rights.
Now they plan to fully consider Google's offer – or at least figure out some way to give Hulu management and Providence Equity Partners liquidity.
"What [Hulu's owners] decided was that [they should] stop the process and settle down and deal with everyone's expectations [for liquidity]. If there were further discussions [wither Google] then we would subsequently engage in that. It wouldn't be an auction or whatever."
"The Google thing is not off the table."
Republished with permission from The Business Insider
We reached out to Hulu for this story and did not hear back. The YouTube/Google PR guy keeps saying we're going to get on the phone at some point.
Our sources asked to remain anonymous because they aren't supposed to be talking to reporters about this whole thing and who wants to get canned?
View the original article here
This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.
2 
It's one thing to put your own personal touch into the appearance of your home. But basing your household aesthetic around your own unique DNA signature takes that idea up more than a few notches.
Facebook, in a rare coup, has rolled out a new sharing feature without somehow completely botching its privacy implications and freaking everyone out. It sounds scary—people you aren't friends with can read your updates—but it's opt-in! Thanks, Mark.
Scanners are a bit of a running joke around the Giz office. "If you post a scanner, you're probably fired," our editors demi-joke. So it's sorta distressing news that HP's got a cheap 3D scanner that's actually kind of awesome.
Reuters just published a photo essay of the NYPD's Counter Terrorism Unit. The unit is loaded with heavy weapons, Big Brother-esque technology and a determination to prevent something like 9/11 from happening again.
Using a transparent Lego brick technique I can only describe as amazing, builder Sean Kenney has recreated a reflected skyline in the "glass" on this 10-foot, 65,000-brick Trump International Hotel and Tower monstrosity.
Sony may have been the first major electronics manufacturer to bring ebook readers to the US, but a series of unfortunate products saw them cede the race to Kindle and Nook. The PRS-T1, though, could be Sony's comeback kid.
Raspberry Pi. It's really an amazing PC. Not only it's really tiny, can run Quake III and play back Full HD video through HDMI, but it only costs $25 PC! Check out the video demonstrating Quake III at full speed. 
I never got tailgating sports events if you don't actually have tickets to the game. Why not just stay home and grill with friends or go to a bar? Still, it's a pretty big deal 'round some parts, and with DISH's super-portable satellite, it might not suck as much.