Walt Disney Co. said it will acquire a 33% stake in Hulu from Comcast for approximately $8.6 billion, a deal that will give Disney undisputed control of the streaming service.
Disney has actually run Hulu since 2019, when Comcast ceded its authority to Disney and effectively became a silent partner.
Disney joined in 2009, planning to offer shows from ABC, ESPN and the Disney Channel.
A decade later, Disney gained majority control of the business when it acquired 21st Century Fox.
Disney has treated Hulu as one of its own services for years — for instance, when it launched its own streaming service, Disney+, in 2019 and immediately offered a streaming bundle that included Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+.
Persons:
Walt, Disney, “, ” Hulu, Bob Iger, ” Iger, We’re
Organizations:
Walt Disney Co, Comcast, Disney, Hulu, ABC, ESPN, Disney Channel, Century Fox
Locations:
Hulu