Uncertainty about Hulu's business model has prompted some of its media backers to contemplate pulling content to run elsewhere, according to a report.

The Wall Street Journal reports today that NBC Universal, News Corp. and Walt Disney Co. are "increasingly at odds" over Hulu's business model and are worried that running content on the site is endangering their own businesses. (A subscription is required to access the link.)

As a result, Disney and Fox Broadcasting owner News Corp. are considering pulling content from Hulu and are "moving to sell more programs to Hulu competitors that deliver television over the Internet, including Netflix, Microsoft and Apple," according to the article.

The story also reports that Hulu management has discussed "recasting Hulu as an online cable operator that would use the web to send live TV channels and video-on-demand content to subscribers." The new service would mimic the bundles of channels now sold by cable and satellite operators.

Created in 2007, Hulu was designed to let News Corp. and its other media backers offset the influence of YouTube and pirated versions of TV shows on the Internet. But since 2008, sales execs at Fox and NBC have complained that the site is drawing viewers from Fox.com and NBC.com, respectively.

Hulu reps could not be reached for comment about the report.

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