This week Youtube announced plans for a paid subscription service. After years of ad-supported free streaming, the video site is offering Youtube Red. The $9.99-per-month subscription will eliminate ads and unlock access to specific Youtube content unavailable to nonpaying members. Where have I heard this before...

Oh right, Hulu.

When Hulu was first made available in March of 2008, the video service provided a way for many users to watch recent television shows online and—more importantly—legally. The site was an important first step in getting popular channels on-board with the idea of putting their shows on the Internet. In 2008, Hulu was not just novel in what it made available, but how much it costed users compared to traditional television.