Online video service Hulu, has taken another step to becoming a full-fledged alternative to cable television by commissioning its first scripted original TV show to go live next month.

Hulu's line-up kicks off on February 14 with the launch of Hulu's first original scripted series, "Battleground," executive produced by JD Walsh, Hagai Shaham and Marc Webb. Morgan Spurlock's "A Day in the Life" will premiere its second season in March. And this summer, Hulu audiences will get exclusive access to writer/director Richard Linklater's first episodic documentary series, "Up to Speed." All three shows will be available exclusively on the free, ad-supported Hulu service and the Hulu Plus subscription service.

Assets for Hulu's original programming, including photos and episode screeners, are available in the Hulu online screening room.

The majority of Hulu's programming to date has been licensed from its parent companies, News Corp, Walt Disney Co and Comcast Corp's NBC Universal, as well as other program makers.

Hulu said on Friday it had more than 1.5 million paying subscribers at the end of 2011, and revenue grew 60 percent to $420 million.

Hulu is competing with rival Netflix to buy and develop more content to add to and maintain its subscriber base.