Report: Google kicking Hulu tires

LOS ANGELES, July 2 (UPI) -- Google is considering joining the bidding for the coveted online video provider Hulu, sources told the Los Angeles Times.

The Times said Saturday sources familiar with the discussions surrounding Hulu reported Google was among the growing roster of media and Internet companies considering making an offer.

None of the various parties involved in the buying and selling of Hulu had any formal comment, but The Hollywood Reporter said observers had expected Google to eventually jump in.

Hulu would fit in with Google's strategy of securing top-shelf video offerings that would keep home-computer users glued to their screens longer, which would attract more advertising dollars, the Times said.

Hulu, which allows users to watch current movies and television episodes on their computers, is being shopped around by a consortium that includes Disney, NBC and News Corp.