Dive summary: 

• According to source close to the deal, DirecTV, the second biggest U.S. paid TV service, has thrown in its bid for video streaming service Hulu for at least $1 billion. 
• The hefty bid by DirecTV is joined with at least two other bids topping $1 billion; the Hulu board has been considering at least seven buyout offers and is expected to narrow the list to three or four in a few weeks. 
• The $1 billion-plus bids increase the likelihood that Hulu will be sold by owners Walt Disney Co., News Corp. and Comcast’s NBC Universal; an auction and plans for a public offering had previously failed. 

From the article: 

"Hulu would give DirecTV, with 20 million subscribers, a lower-cost online video offering alongside its more expensive pay-TV packages."