Hulu losing Colbert Report and Daily Show content; could more shows follow?

Viewers of the Colbert Report and Daily Show won’t be able to watch either program on Hulu much longer. According to a post on the official Hulu.com blog, Comedy Central has decided not to renew its deal for providing on-demand options for the popular video service.

Beginning March 10, Hulu will be Comedy Central-free thanks to what seems like a money issue – or more specifically, Comedy Central’s disappointment in how much it earns from the deal with Hulu. Andy Forssell, Hulu VP of Content & Distribution, said that Hulu was “steadily increasing revenue” thanks to increased ratings, but was unable to negotiate a deal with Comedy Central to extend Hulu’s broadcast rights.

Colbert Report and Daily Show clips and full episodes routinely ranked among the most popular clips on Hulu. If that kind of popularity couldn’t secure the kind of revenue to satisfy Comedy Central, what does it say for the future of other content providers working with Hulu? Will we see more networks opt to host their own online video services in order to grab a higher slice of the growing market?

Hulu hopes to revisit the deal and entice Comedy Central back onto the site. Disappointed users can get their fix on TheDailyShow.com and ColbertNation.com until that time arrives.

Read [Hulu]