Networks pulling ad inventory from Hulu

Advertisers are drawn to Hulu in part because the site is a popular place for fans to stream shows like NBC's "30 Rock" and "The Office." The trouble is, Hulu doesn't actually sell any inventory in those shows.

In fact, according to sources, Hulu isn't able to sell much inventory from NBC's primetime shows these days. That's because -- like a child grabbing for his favorite toy and shouting "Mine!" -- NBC has begun pulling back the maximum allowable amount of ad inventory within its shows on Hulu, as is such sister cable networks as USA and Bravo. Hulu's other broadcast partners, ABC and Fox, are following suit, according to buyers familiar with Hulu's operations, though NBC has been the most aggressive as it looks to capitalize on heavy demand for video and assert more control over its assets. Hulu is a joint venture among NBC Universal, News Corp. and Disney. The specifics of just how much inventory Hulu's network partners can retain is unclear. According to sources, networks can pull back 100% of ad inventory on two or three specified shows, which is what NBC does with "30 Rock" and "The Office." For other shows, the number is close to 85%. Having the broadcast nets pull back ad inventory is unlikely to put a major dent in Hulu's inventory volume. The site reached 27.1 million unique users who streamed nearly 1.4 billion videos in August, according to comScore. However, Hulu's brand has been built as the place to go for current hit TV shows. The site regularly commands CPMs in the range of the broadcast networks' Web video plays -- sometimes between $40 and $50. If Hulu becomes a place where buyers can only access older shows and movies, its stature could change.