Hulu $4.99 Paywall Rumored: Could This Pave Way To Official Boxee Support?

Mutterings of premium content continue to sweep across the streaming media space, with Hulu the latest to be tipped as preparing to move some of the more popular shows behind a paywall.  The news – which suggests Hulu are considering asking a $4.99 per month subscription for older episodes of shows like 30 Rock, Modern Family and House - comes after Boxee announced their own plans to launch premium content over the summer.

The sources reckon Hulu are looking to include at least 20 different shows in the subscription package, in an attempt to make it appealing to users.  Boxee's plan, meanwhile, hasn't apparently decided on either pay-per-view or subscription models; however the two services have had a strained relationship in the past, with Boxee's attempts to offer Hulu access to its software users repeatedly blocked by the streaming media company.

An agreement on paid content, meanwhile, could see Hulu make an official appearance on the upcoming Boxee Box by D-Link, the first official set-top box supporting the platform.  Hulu are apparently considering allowing free access to the five most recent episodes of otherwise subscription-based shows.

[via Ars Technica]