Hulu to stream presidential debates live

by Brad Linder Oct 7th 2008

It's official. We're one step closer to a point where you can throw out your cable box. Not only can you find virtually any TV program you'd ever want to see online thanks to BitTorrent, but legit web sites like Hulu and TheWB.com, and Fancast are making huge libraries of legal, full-length streaming TV episodes available. And now Hulu is prepared to take the next step by streaming tonight's presidential debate (and the October 15th debate) live.

Granted, a live stream of the presidential debate isn't quite as exciting as real-time streaming of popular, network-owned programs like Heroes or 24. But if enough people tune in to watch the debate on Hulu tonight, it could be a powerful demonstration that there's a group of people who want to watch live TV online, not just video-on-demand a day or two after a TV program has already aired on television.

Of course, Hulu isn't the only site that will be streaming debate coverage tonight. As NewTeeVee points out, C-SPAN, ABC, CBS, FOX, Current, CNN, MSNBC, and MySpace will all be streaming tonight's debate. So maybe this isn't so much a first step toward the internet-based future of broadcasting as it is a way for companies to try to build an audience for their online video sites by streaming something that most major networks have access to anyway, and which a lot of Americans plan to watch.

Tags: election08, hulu, online-video, streaming, video

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Abdo said 12:42PM on 10-07-2008

Great, I'm tuning in. What time is the debate?

Xslf said 3:33PM on 10-07-2008

And perhaps one day, this content will be available for people outside the US.

At the meantime, I'll stick with YouTube and BitTorrent, and wear an "international pirate hat".

politico said 8:41PM on 10-07-2008

With live streaming, fun user driven sites like this are possible:

http://www.unfuse.com/decisions/79-Presidential-Debate-2-Obama-Vs-McCain/finalize

zeke said 9:40PM on 10-07-2008

yeah... i couldn't get Hulu to work. and then NBC not only didn't work right, it also delayed the live stream (in-progress!) while it showed me commercials. i'm now watching it on the BBC, which is pretty ridiculous.

Jash Sayani said 7:52AM on 10-08-2008

I love hulu but you just cant download the videos.!!!

Any hack...?

Joe said 5:44PM on 10-08-2008

you guys are fucking idiots. Did you get that? Fucking creeps!!!

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