Hulu boosts originals spending

US video streamer Hulu is planning to quadruple its investment in original programming this year, after its subscription service Hulu Plus added another million users.

Hulu revealed it would expand more aggressively into original programming and acquisition of network and cable series during its upfront presentation in New York City yesterday.

CEO Mike Hopkins also announced that Hulu Plus reached six million subscribers in the first quarter of 2014, up from five million in Q4 2013.

The news comes as rival SVoD service Netflix announced last week it has more than 46 million subscribers – 34 million of them in the US. Amazon Prime, however, has not yet released its numbers, but analysts have estimated it has at least 20 million.

Meanwhile, Hulu is growing its slate of originals with the addition of The Hotwives Orlando, a Real Housewives parody premiering in July, and The Next Step, a reality drama about a group of dancers at an elite studio, which premieres this month.

The firm has also ordered a second season of supernatural comedy Deadbeat and set premiere dates for the second seasons of The Awesomes, Quick Draw and East Los High.

Hulu is owned by NBCUniversal, Fox Broadcasting Company and Disney-ABC Television Group.