["W]ith Walt Disney Co. poised to take a controlling stake in Hulu, the little 10-year-old streaming service once known solely for airing reruns of broadcast shows online could eventually become a credible threat to Netflix's dominance," the L.A. Times reports atop column 1:
"Disney will own 60% of Hulu if its proposed $52.4-billion purchase of 21st Century Fox is approved by regulators. Hulu is currently equally owned by Fox, Disney and Comcast, which each have 30% stakes. (Fellow media giant Time Warner owns the other 10%.)"
Why it matters: "Santa Monica-based Hulu is expected to become a pillar of Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger's strategy to take on streaming video insurgents that are disrupting the traditional media industry."
"Hulu would be [an] important part of the strategy to compete for consumers who are cutting the cord. In a business driven by the volume of quality content, Disney could boost the service's standing with more shows."
"Hulu, which only operates in the U.S. and Japan, could also expand internationally."
