Just as important as what we watch, often, is how we choose to watch it. I was in college when streaming video became widespread, illegal sites like tv-links supplemented by torrented downloads in the days before Netflix streaming changed everything. Now most of my professional twentysomething friends get by with laptops and shared subscriptions to Netflix and Hulu, maybe borrowing their parents' password for access to premium channels like HBO. So the winner of today's bid for Hulu may be getting a bargain, even with the price reportedly at $500 million– there are a lot of young viewers too accustomed to the on-demand streaming-everywhere model to ever go back to the traditional way of watching. It used to be that not owning a television was considered a sign of self-serious intellectualism; now it's just practical. No one I know owns a television but everyone watches their shows. Whoever buys Hulu today will have a big say in how, at least for the forseeable future. We'll check in with the winners of that bid on Monday; in the mean time, shabbat shalom, and enjoy the long weekend!
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