iWorld
Hulu to live-stream top TV channels with NBCUniversal tie-up
MUMBAI: Hulu and NBCUniversal have reached a comprehensive, new distribution agreement that will bring NBC and Telemundo Owned Television Stations and portfolio of leading cable networks to Hulu’s upcoming new live TV streaming service when it launches this Spring. The deal will provide live and on-demand streaming access to networks including NBC, Telemundo, USA, Syfy, Bravo, E!, MSNBC, CNBC, NBCSN and more, bringing the total number of channels in Hulu’s live TV service to more than 50. The agreement also includes a framework for licensing the NBC and Telemundo broadcast affiliates for carriage on Hulu’s new service.
“NBC Universal is home to many of today’s leading sports, news, entertainment and lifestyle networks – brands that not only draw large audiences but also drive pop culture,” said Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins. “With this agreement in place, Hulu will soon provide an affordable, complete live TV package that includes all four major broadcast networks, the top-rated cable news channels, a massive sports offering and our deep existing premium streaming library for under $40.”
“We’re pleased to partner with Hulu to make NBCUniversal’s leading portfolio of entertainment, news and sports networks available on this new service,” stated NBCUniversal Content Distribution chairman Matt Bond. “Growing our audiences is an important priority and this partnership will help bring our networks to new customers.”
As one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies, NBCUniversal’s suite of networks includes NBC, with broadcast hits such as This Is Us, Blindspot and The Voice, as well as late night series The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Saturday Night Live and Late Night with Seth Meyers; leading cable networks like USA— home of the critically acclaimed cable drama Mr. Robot — Syfy, Bravo and E!; top-rated news programming from NBC’s The Today Show and Dateline, to live, breaking coverage from MSNBC and CNBC news networks; leading American Spanish-language network Telemundo; kids programming from Sprout; and sports programming like Sunday Night Football and the Olympics and networks including NBCSN, Golf Channel and NBC Sports Regional Networks in Chicago, Philadelphia, New England, Mid-Atlantic, Bay Area, California and Northwest.
NBCUniversal’s portfolio of networks adds to a growing list of more than 50 popular channels that will all be offered through Hulu’s new live TV service at launch. The deal follows Hulu’s recently announced agreement with A+E Networks, as well as its agreements with 21st Century Fox, The Walt Disney Company, Turner Networks and CBS Corporation.
In addition to the company’s current ad-supported and ad-free subscription video on demand products, Hulu’s new service will offer viewers the most valuable pay-TV option on the market in a groundbreaking, new user experience for under $40 per month. With no set-up costs or installation, only Hulu will bring together live and on demand channels, original series and films, and premium library TV shows and movies, all in one place, across living room and mobile devices.
iWorld
OpenAI hits back at Elon Musk’s lawsuit ahead of trial
Company calls claims “baseless” and accuses Musk of trying to disrupt a rival.
MUMBAI: When the stakes are measured in billions and egos are involved, even Silicon Valley titans can turn a courtroom into a battlefield. OpenAI has issued a sharp public response to Elon Musk’s ongoing lawsuit, accusing the billionaire of filing the case to harass a competitor rather than address genuine concerns. In a strongly worded statement shared on its official X account, OpenAI described Musk’s allegations as “baseless” and suggested the lawsuit is an attempt to disrupt the company as the case heads toward trial later this month in Oakland, California.
The response comes after Musk’s legal team recently amended the complaint, proposing that any damages potentially exceeding $150 billion should go to OpenAI’s nonprofit entity rather than to Musk personally. OpenAI questioned the timing and motive behind this change, calling it a late-stage attempt to “pretend to change his tune” on the nonprofit structure.
The company further labelled the lawsuit a “harassment campaign”, arguing that Musk’s actions are driven by personal rivalry, ego, and a desire for greater control and financial upside.
At the heart of the dispute is Musk’s claim that OpenAI has abandoned its original nonprofit mission of developing artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity. A co-founder who left in 2018, Musk is seeking governance changes, including the removal of CEO Sam Altman from the nonprofit board, and the return of certain financial gains linked to Altman and President Greg Brockman.
OpenAI has firmly rejected these allegations, maintaining that its current hybrid structure, a public-benefit corporation overseen by a nonprofit parent remains true to its long-term goals. The company has also previously accused Musk of anti-competitive behaviour aimed at weakening its leadership.
As the case prepares for a jury trial, this public exchange highlights the deepening rift between two of the most influential figures in the AI revolution and raises broader questions about governance, mission, and power in the fast-moving world of artificial intelligence.
In the high-stakes game of AI, it seems the real drama isn’t just inside the models, it’s playing out in courtrooms too.
