NewsCorp and TimeWarner to Hulu viewers: Melon-ballers cost money, you know.

Here's how Hulu rolled last winter:

Here's how Hulu will roll this time next year:

Hulu, at the behest of its co-parent News Corp, is going to start charging for content in 2010. […]

This is extra-extra-foreboding next to last week's statements about a paid Hulu from Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes, highlighted by TVBizwire: "That's not an if," he said "that's a when."

Now, Americans are no dummies: It's one thing to ask them to voluntarily have their brains gelatinized and scooped out for free. There's plenty of evidence they'll go along with something like that.

But surely they're way too smart to actually pay for the privilege of getting gelatinized and scooped.

. . . or are they?