Sony is looking to take on a partner in Crackle, its ad-supported streaming service, in order to make it more competitive in a saturated marketplace. Mike Hopkins, the former head of Hulu who joined Sony Pictures last fall as chairman of its TV division, disclosed the strategy to employees in an internal email. (See…

Why is Sony laying off staff at a time when its stock is higher than it has been in years at $52 a share, and when big results are expected for God of War 4 and a Spider-Man game on PlayStation, and movie sequels to Spider-Man and Jumanji coming from a movie division that has turned things around? And all this after…

Sony Pictures TV chairman Mike Hopkins is reorganizing a number of areas of the company, mostly on the distribution side. After folding home video into worldwide distribution under Keith Le Goy in February, Hopkins now also is adding global networks operations, which had been reporting directly to him, to Le Goy’s…

A string of women have left Sony over the past year — Christine Birch, Paula Askanas, Amy Carney, Andrea Wong and Jean Guerin come to mind — and now this: an email from two male executives inviting women to participate in a Women’s Creative Leadership Initiative “to better equip our women leaders with the tools…

Randy Freer has been named CEO of Hulu. He will replace Mike Hopkins, who is departing to join Sony as chairman of Sony Pictures Television. Like Hopkins before him, Freer comes from the Fox Networks Group where he has been president and COO since 2013. Also like Hopkins, Freer already is a Hulu board member. His…

Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra has recruited a former lieutenant, Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins, to fill the top Sony Pictures Television job that had been vacant since the departure of Sony Pictures TV chairman Steve Mosko 17 months ago. The news of Hopkins’ exit from Hulu and arrival at Sony…

This had been billed as the most competitive Emmy drama race in years, with 4-5 strong series in contention, each staking its claim at glory. In the end, it was a landslide victory for Hulu/MGM’s rookie The Handmaid’s Tale, which swept the drama field, winning all five categories it was nominated in last night…

Hulu’s long-awaited live streaming service is finally ready for primetime: It’s up today offering more than 50 channels for $39.99 a month, CEO Mike Hopkins disclosed at the company’s upfront presentation this morning. They’re calling it: Hulu With Live TV (Beta). Scripps Networks channels including HGTV, Travel…

This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but two of Hulu’s co-owners — Fox and Disney — have just reached agreements to offer their programming for the live streaming video service it plans to launch early next year. The deals will provide Hulu with more than 35 networks, including ABC and Fox. Disney will also offer ESPN…

With The Mindy Project recently renewed for Season 5 by Hulu, the show's creator Mindy Kaling sat down with the streaming service's CEO Mike Hopkins at the Cannes Lions Creativity Festival this morning. Widely known as a week-long advertising event, Lions has expanded this year with a two-day focus on entertainment…

This should help Hulu, and add fuel to the debate among Viacom watchers over whether it benefits — or shoots itself in the foot — when it syndicates popular shows to subscription VOD services. The companies just renewed and expanded their multiyear pact that makes Hulu the exclusive SVOD home for popular shows from…

Hulu has finally responded to the chorus of subscribers who don’t want to put up with ads when they pay a monthly fee to stream movies and TV shows. The service today adds an $11.99-a-month ad-free option, while maintaining its $7.99 service with what it describes as “limited commercials.” Both will offer the same…