Hulu. Not hula. As in hula hoop. Image by Tony the misfit.

As online streaming becomes big broadcasting business, how will television viewing change?

Hulu wins handsdown when it comes to video streaming. Forget Youtube – this is the biggest media breakthrough since Twitter asked ‘What are you doing?’. It’s had more than 40 million unique viewers visit its treasure trove of TV in April alone, which is more hits than you and I have had hot dinners. And I love a good roast.

Hulu launched 18 months ago and allows you to watch new and old TV series and films via free online streaming. Genius. Never again will you need to trek to HMV for a trusty box-set.

Problem: the UK’s attempt, Project Kangeroo, which was proposed by BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4, has collapsed.

It was reported in today’s Media Guardian that the collapse of the project has left the market open for the US dominate UK broadcasting too. Some, like Dr Robert McMinn from We Study Media, believe this is a result of the complexities of capitalism.

Others, like, the blogger behind Form Film see this as a sign of the growing importance of online video streaming in our media culture.They simply states:

“Broadcaster, charity, company – if you don’t have an online video strategy you don’t have an online strategy.”

As YouTube is also looking to expand in a similar direction to Hulu, the future of television broadcasting and its relationship to online media is getting certainly complex. With the lure of online advertising revenue and high stakes for copyrights, online media is, potentially, big business. But the broadcasters will need to account for the changing user experience of watching television.

The culture of television watching is changing. Aside from my Gran, who still lugs clunky video tapes around her front room to record Heartbeat while she’s at bingo, many broadcasters, with their own catch-up services and digital recording devices, have made homemade broadcasting schedules a luxury of modern living. Okay, so we still need the odd newsflash. Aside from that, are we losing the need for live television? And is online streaming simply a product of this? We want personalised viewing on demand.

Even more so, as Spotify is currently dominating the music market, Hulu is paving the way for online streaming of television and online news sites are threatening local newspapers, the industry has one little word to overcome: ‘free’. Why do consumers need to pay for something they can get for free?

Answers on postcards please (or get with the times and leave a comment).