The CW Forges Its Own Digital Path, Without Hulu

For the first time in five years, the network has in-season streaming, and digital revenue, all to itself. But will its lucrative new Netflix deal backfire?

- Jason Lynch

This week, as The CW begins to debut its season premieres, viewers used to streaming those shows on Hulu will be in for a surprise. The network’s five-year deal with the streaming service has lapsed, which means that for the first time, The CW’s website and apps will have exclusive in-season streaming rights to its shows like Super girl, which has migrated over from CBS, Jane the Virgin and The Flash.

It’s a brave new digital world for The CW, which created its CW Seed digital platform in 2013 in part so it would one day be prepared to go it alone without Hulu. Last week, the network rolled out its CW app on Roku, Apple TV, Xbox, Chromecast and Amazon Fire, and will be amping up marketing efforts to direct audiences to the new digital destinations.

“When you know this is the only place you have to go, that makes a big difference, and it helps our business model,” said network president Mark Pedowitz.