TED conferences are elite – and well-respected – events.  People are so eager to attend them that tickets costing $6,000 each are snapped up in no time at all.  Only now, videos of many TEDTalks will be available for free through Hulu and Hulu Plus.

Admittedly, this isn’t too huge a breakthrough in one sense; 886 video clips have already been posted at ted.com/talks, so anybody who knew what he (or she) was looking for was almost sure to find it.

The availability of the clips through Hulu represents a win for the site, however, as it should elevate Hulu’s reputation.  And it’s also sure to result in lots more people being introduced to interesting new notions.

A post on the Hulu Blog explained, "For those of you who are not familiar with TED, think of TEDTalks as a smart and concise way to explore new ideas and gain exposure to concepts and innovations you may not have ever seen before, all in 18 minutes or less.  All TEDTalks share a common thread: ideas worth spreading as told by the most inspiring and passionate doers and thinkers around."

Then the post added, "Through Hulu and Hulu Plus, we hope to extend the reach and impact of TED, because the more people who hear and understand an idea, the more powerful that idea becomes."

The 2011 TED Conference "Welcome Gala" will take place later today in Long Beach, California, by the way.