Amazon is spending far less than Netflix on content, but its video service is also going broader with live sports and third-party channels.
When Amazon pursued the rights to a"Lord of the Rings" series in 2017, the company knew it would have to overcome some major obstacles to lure the J.R.R. Tolkien estate to its video-streaming platform.
But money alone wasn't going to separate Amazon from the pack — Amazon's $250 million offer wasn't even the highest bid for the show's rights, according to a person familiar with the matter. The ultimate selling point, according to people with knowledge of the negotiations, related to Amazon's original business from over two decades ago: books.
The company can afford to take a similar long view with its media business and try many different approaches. So far, Amazon has used video primarily as a way to build Prime subscriptions. But the company's investments point to blending content and commerce in ways the world hasn't yet seen, eventually pitting Amazon against Apple and other tech giants for control of the home.
Apple has a similar plan in mind with its yet-to-be-released streaming service, which will offer device owners free video and subscriptions to third-party cable channels, according to people familiar with the matter. The idea is to give users enough value that it becomes a hassle to ditch the hardware.
Hirsch said Channels has helped Starz, which is owned by Lionsgate, attract a broader audience of subscribers, because they can get the channel via the Amazon app rather than having to download the separate Starz app through Roku, Apple TV or another streaming device. Amazon also poses less of an existential threat in media than Apple, which blew up the music industry by eradicating album sales with 99-cent digital tracks, or Netflix, the original Hollywood disruptor.
Amazon will be"one of the biggest friends to viable specialty channels in the next several years," Seibert said."Offering media is a great service for customers looking for something special." Still, Amazon hasn't rolled out a three- or five-year plan to reach Netflix-level spending. In fact, the company has no specific multiyear road map at all when it comes to content purchases, according to people familiar with the matter. Bezos and Jeff Blackburn, senior vice president of business development and digital entertainment, prefer not to plan more than 12 months in advance, the people said.
Price also had some expensive misfires, such as Spike Lee's 2015 film"Chi-Raq" and a disastrous five-year movie deal with Woody Allen, who's now suing Amazon Studios in a $68 million breach-of-contract lawsuit. Amazon didn't make Salke available for an interview for this story. An Amazon spokeswoman declined to comment for the story.
In August, Amazon hired Marie Donoghue from ESPN to run sports programming, and the company will almost certainly become more aggressive at buying live sports rights in the coming years, according to people familiar with the company's long-term strategy. Separate from Amazon Studios, Donoghue's team also reports to Blackburn.
इंडिया ताज़ा खबर, इंडिया मुख्य बातें
Similar News:आप इससे मिलती-जुलती खबरें भी पढ़ सकते हैं जिन्हें हमने अन्य समाचार स्रोतों से एकत्र किया है।
Movies to stream on International Women’s Day: 15 options that pass the Bechdel testMovies to stream on InternationalWomensDay: 15 options that pass the Bechdel test
और पढो »
France's tax on tech giants like Google and Amazon could bring in $570 million per yearA three percent tax on the French revenue of large internet companies could yield $568.3 million per year, France's finance minister says.
और पढो »
The future of cable may be no TV at all, as one small company from Arizona showsCable TV is dying, but the eventual killer won't be Netflix or Amazon — it will be the cable companies themselves.
और पढो »
How the epic 'Lord of the Rings' deal explains Amazon's slow-burning media strategyAmazon is spending far less than Netflix on content, but its video service is also going broader with live sports and third-party channels.
और पढो »
Amazon can be a 'necessary evil' for small retailers around the worldThe visibility and accessibility offered by e-commerce and tech giants comes at a price for global retailers.
और पढो »
Adam Schiff calls Amazon's anti-vaccine content 'direct threat to public health' in letter to BezosAdam Schiff calls Amazon's anti-vaccination content 'direct threat to public health' in letter to Bezos
और पढो »
Lyft plans to spend $300 million on Amazon Web Services through 2021Lyft has signed up to pay Amazon Web Services at least $80 million per year for the next three years, totaling at least $300 million.
और पढो »
NYC deputy mayor suggests, if women ran companies like Amazon, the HQ2 deal might have survived'Maybe if there weren't all these men running companies we would possibly have different results,' says Alicia Glen, outgoing New York City deputy mayor for development.
और पढो »
Here are the biggest analyst calls of the day: Amazon, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Kraft Heinz, DishHere are the analyst calls we are watching
और पढो »
Amazon is working with Mexico's government-backed bank on a mobile payments systemAmazon is working with Mexico’s government-backed bank on a mobile payments system.
और पढो »