This was bound to happen. From Bloomberg: Rovi Sues Hulu Over Patents for Interactive TV Functions.
Now this isn’t the first time Rovi has sought to enforce their EPG and interactive television patents. But now that Hulu’s owners are planning on cashing in with a potential sale to Apple, Google or even Amazon — it’s time to strike.
Rovi has already taken Amazon/IMDb.com to court over a similar issue. So it’s convenient that the latest Hulu rumor has involved Amazon.
The EPG is pretty much the core of Hulu’s assets, as the programming and advertising sales come from the joint venture’s partners. And without an EPG, Hulu is just another Twitter/Facebook-like icon on your computer or television set.
Gotta wonder what this will mean for valuation and a potential sale.