Jason Kilar, the CEO of online-video site Hulu, has rediscovered a truism: less is more. Hulu, which is mostly owned by NBC and News Corp., runs fewer ads on the TV clips it licenses from its TV-network parents than they air when they broadcast the same shows. And yet the ads are more effective. This could simply be a novelty effect; everything about Hulu is new, so the ads also draw more notice. But Hulu may be onto something. Why don't networks try running fewer ads on air, too? (Photo via Alarm:Clock)

Here's the highlight from Kara Swisher's a tour of the Hulu offices. Hulu CEO Kilar takes Swisher into a group of cubicles reserved for developers. Hulu, Kilar says, was developed "between here and Beijing." Then Kilar walks over to a desk where what seems to be a child sits. "I want to introduce you to a little-known secret," Kilar says. How cute, Kilar wants to introduce Swisher to his kid. "Eden, take your earpieces out," Kilar tells the boy, before pulling them out of the boy's ears himself. The kid turns around and Kilar begins to explain that ""This guy coded—" but Swisher interrupts. "Oh, hello 12 year old, hello." Kilar: "He's legal. Over 21." The kid: "Barely."

When asked whether he'd post a Web clip featuring Janet Jackson's 2004 Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction, where Justin Timberlake yanked off more of her top than the two half-time performers say they'd planned to, Hulu CEO Jason Kilar deflected I Want Media's question as "theoretical.... I don't want to go there." But the site shows R-rated movies and asks users to confirm their age before showing the racier (and gorier) stuff. Kilar himself has played up the Hulu feature that lets viewers pick particular clips to search on and embed in their blogs. Which leads us to wonder: Is Hulu's target YouTube's audience, or Mr. Skin's? (Photo by AP/Ron Wurzer)

Hulu CEO Jason Kilar says the site will soon allow users to pick the ads they want have to watch. If Ford buys ads for an SNL episode, for example, viewers will be able to select mind-numbing ads about Mustangs or SUVs. Viewers will also have the Sophie's choice option to select to watch one long commercial, likely a movie trailer, instead of several short ones. [paidContent]

NBC Universal, in its ongoing effort to throw Steve Jobs into a jealous rage, is wooing every other feller with a video service in sight. In its man-harem: Jeff Bezos, with Amazon Unbox, and Jason Kilar, CEO of its joint venture with News Corp. Hulu. Add to the list Netflix CEO Reed Hastings. NBC has wooed Hastings into a syndication deal. As Apple used to do on iTunes, Netflix will offer new episodes of Heroes the day after they air, alongside a library of prior 30 Rock, Friday Night Lights, and The Office shows. Looks like someone can finally stop whining about the gaping hole left by the iTunes pullout.

Despite some all-night conference calls prior to launch, online-video site Hulu did not collapse prior to opening its doors for business. But keep refreshing. Despite pleasant early reviews of the sites service — people are variously describing its service as "really slick" and "very nice" — NBC and News Corp.'s joint venture is in trouble. Why?

At last, the online-video joint venture between NBC Universal and News Corp., long ridiculed for its lack of a name other than "NewCo," has an official moniker, and a website, Hulu. It also has a $100 million investment, besides the backing of its parent companies, from Providence Equity Partners; a CEO, former Amazon.com executive Jason Kilar; and fancy offices in Los Angeles. What it still lacks, of course, is a shot in hell at competing with YouTube.

NBC and News Corp.'s joint online-video venture has gone unnamed so long that it's reaching the point of total absurdity. It now has a CEO, even — former Amazon executive Jason Kilar — but still no name. The clock is counting down, since "NewCo," as NBC and News Corp. employees still style it, appears set to launch in a month. George Kliavkoff, NBC's chief digital officer resorts to calling it "the new site" in an interview with ClickZ. NBBC, NBC's digital-video distribution arm, is getting folded into NewCo and is winding down its current ad campaigns over the next 30 days, which suggests an imminent launch. Just one question: To whom are advertisers going to make out their checks?