NBC Universal saying hello to Hulu
Network pulls content off of YouTube
The move effectively removes all NBC U content from the world's biggest video-sharing site.
Ending the promotional relationship with YouTube is part of a broader move by both NBC U and News Corp. to give web exclusivity to Hulu.com, a joint venture between the companies expected to launch this month.
While News Corp. doesn't have a sanctioned YouTube channel, Fox said the company is taking a more aggressive stance toward unauthorized content on the service.
Fox recently pulled content from its "Fox On Demand" service on the News Corp.-owned MySpace.com to make way for Hulu.com, which will distribute video from both companies on MySpaceTV.
By aggressively policing YouTube, NBC U had segregated its content largely to the sanctioned channel, which hosted promotional clips of primetime shows such as "Heroes," and shorts from the "Tonight Show with Jay Leno."
NBC U spokeswoman Amy Zelvin said the move does not rule out future collaborations and that the company's existing deals with iTunes and Amazon's Unbox are unchanged.
