CHERNIN PLANNING TO EXPAND JAPANESE ANIME WEBSITE

Former Fox CEO Peter Chernin is apparently planning to convert the Japanese anime video website Crunchyroll to a new streaming service that will take on Hulu, the online video website that he unsuccessfully tried to acquire earlier this year, the London Financial Times observed today (Wednesday). The newspaper cited Chernin’s own comments following the announcement of the acquisition: “Our plan is to continue to grow the anime vertical as well as launch new channels in different genres.” Chernin is said to have paid just under $100 million for a controlling stake in Crunchyroll. The remainder is held by company executives and TV Tokyo.