LOS ANGELES, California – Viewers tuning into the Academy Awards on Hulu this past Sunday night were left disappointed when the streaming service abruptly ended its broadcast before the show’s conclusion. As the night’s biggest prizes, including the Best Actress and Best Picture Oscars, were yet to be awarded, subscribers were met with a premature “thank you for watching” message claiming that the live event had ended. Social media platforms and online communities quickly flooded with complaints and threats of canceling subscriptions.
The mishap marked a rough night for the Disney-owned service, as earlier in the evening, some customers experienced difficulties logging in. Although this issue was resolved before 9 PM ET, the premature end to the live stream caused even more frustration among viewers. The mistake seems to have stemmed from Hulu’s scheduled ending time of 10:32 PM, resulting in viewers being cut off from the broadcast as several acceptance speeches exceeded the allotted time.
In response to the backlash, Disney released a statement apologizing for the technical and live stream issues, promising to make a full replay of the event available as soon as possible. Despite the convenience of streaming services, these recurring mishaps continue to frustrate viewers, especially when occurring during high-profile events like the Oscars. Cable viewers and those watching through traditional TV antennas were spared from the technical difficulties faced by Hulu users, as were customers streaming through Hulu with Live TV, who accessed the live ABC feed.
The situation during Hollywood’s biggest night is reminiscent of past incidents, such as the premature end to Hulu’s broadcast of Super Bowl in 2018. The incident raises questions about the reliability of streaming platforms during live events and highlights the importance of ensuring a seamless viewing experience for viewers. Moving forward, Hulu and other streaming services may need to reevaluate their broadcasting protocols to prevent similar mishaps in the future.
As viewers eagerly awaited the replay of the Oscars event on Hulu, the streaming service faced criticism and calls for better preparation to avoid such technical glitches. The incident serves as a reminder of the challenges and limitations faced by online streaming platforms when it comes to delivering live content to a large audience. Despite the convenience and flexibility offered by streaming services, ensuring a glitch-free viewing experience remains a top priority for these platforms to retain and attract subscribers in the competitive streaming landscape.