Consumers can check out tonight’s CNN-New York Times Democratic presidential primary debate, the fourth of six scheduled for 2019, on CNN’s TV networks, CNN.com, the network’s Facebook page or on the CNN and New York Times apps.
They can also watch tonight’s debate via Hulu.
The streaming service and CNN have partnered to provide a livestream of the debate to all Hulu’s subscribers for no additional charge. So any Hulu customer who has a subscription directly through Hulu will be able to access a livestream of CNN’s broadcast of the debate beginning at 7 p.m. ET, in the Hulu Picks section of Hulu’s app.
According to Adweek’s streaming editor Kelsey Sutton, Hulu’s decision to livestream the debate is part of a test to see if viewers are interested in watching live events that hold particular national or cultural interest or importance.
“The company has previously tested out the livestream offering to a small percentage of its subscribers,” Sutton writes, “including during the Women’s World Cup this summer and ABC News’ Democratic debate in September, to test the technical capabilities of the feature.”
This is the first time the livestream offering has been extended to all Hulu customers.
Hulu offers three tiers of service: An ad-supported video-on-demand (VOD) tier at $5.99 per month, an ad-free VOD tier at $11.99 a month and its most expensive tier, Hulu With Live TV, which adds live TV viewing options and costs $44.99 a month.
Tonight’s debate, co-hosted by CNN and the New York Times, will feature a record-12 candidates on the stage at one time, and will be held at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio. CNN anchors Anderson Cooper, Erin Burnett, and New York Times national editor Marc Lacey will serve as the debate moderators.