X

Hulu's CEO Jason Kilar could be giving up the ship

A leaked internal memo about changes to the streaming service lists these top two bullet points: "Outline transition plan for new CEO" and "Discuss potential candidates and process."

Dara Kerr Former senior reporter
Dara Kerr was a senior reporter for CNET covering the on-demand economy and tech culture. She grew up in Colorado, went to school in New York City and can never remember how to pronounce gif.
Dara Kerr
Hulu CEO Jason Kilar. Greg Sandoval/CNET

Big changes may be on the horizon for Hulu. According to an internal memo that entertainment news source Variety got its hands on, CEO Jason Kilar's jig may be up.

The three-page memo, dated from July, lists several possible changes for the streaming service, according to Variety. Of the most striking are the top two bullet points, which say this: "Outline transition plan for new CEO" and "Discuss potential candidates and process."

Kilar has had an up-and-down relationship with backers for the last couple of years. He initiated a rift with Hulu's parent company bosses -- NBC Universal, Disney, and News Corp. -- in February 2011 when he publicly criticized broadcast television and said that it burdens viewers with too many ads. He also predicted TV's profit margins would slip. The situation got so harried that some speculated Kilar would step down as CEO back then.

But as Hulu saw better growth and the discord quieted, rumors of Kilar leaving also shifted to the back burner. In April, Hulu Plus reported having 1.5 million subscribers in January, which meant that it added a half-million viewers in just four months. "We grew the business 60 percent from 2010 to approximately $420 million in revenue in 2011," Hulu CEO Jason Kilar said at the time.

It's not clear if it's Kilar who is behind the move, or people within Hulu, or those at Hulu's parent companies. CNET contacted Hulu for comment and we'll update the story when we get more information.