Peter Kafka:

Hulu and its owners, three of the big broadcast TV networks, want to bring some version of the Web video service to Apple’s device. But the most likely scenario is one in which access to Hulu on the iPad comes as part of a subscription package, multiple people familiar with the company tell me.

The problem is that if Hulu decides to define the iPad as a mobile device they would need to be granted the rights to display content on mobile devices. This is doable, but it’s the same kind of ridiculous red tape that forced Boxee to remove Hulu from their app and it’s the same kind of red tape that will put TV networks in the same position the music industry is in.

I have no doubt that a paid subscriptions service could work well for Hulu. But (even though it will never happen), I really wish Hulu would use HTML5 for their web site and publish videos in H.264 using the video tag.