Amazon will add "more than 40 TV channels" to its U.K. streaming service, including ITV and live sport for the first time, "upping the stakes against rival Netflix and pay-TV operators such as Sky," according to Mark Sweney of the London GUARDIAN. Amazon will offer the channels at an extra cost to Amazon Prime members, who pay £79 ($102.64) a year or £7.99 ($10.38) a month for on-demand video including exclusive shows. The individual pricing for the new channels ranges from £1.49-£9.49 ($1.94-$12.33) a month, with subscribers "choosing and paying for individual services, rather than for a bundle as with the traditional pay-TV model used by Sky." Netflix's standard video on-demand service costs £7.49 ($9.73) a month while Sky's "cheapest package of channels" is £22 ($28.58). At launch, Amazon is offering channels including Discovery and its Eurosport subsidiary, "which will lead to Amazon offering live sport for the first time globally, starting with the imminent French Open and Olympic coverage from next year." Other channels include NBC Universal's reality TV service, Hayu, and Amazon's Bollywood channel, Heera. Ampere analyst Richard Broughton said, "This move represents a massive broadening of content. It makes Amazon increasingly competitive with both Netflix and Sky, although at an increasingly higher price point" (GUARDIAN, 5/23).
SERVICE EVOLUTION: In London, D. Bond & S. Bond reported while Amazon customers in North America have been able to watch live networks such as Showtime, Starz and HBO "for some time," the deals with Discovery, Eurosport and ITV represent the "first time European customers will be able to view traditional" TV networks through the Prime portal. Amazon Channels Europe Managing Dir Alex Green described it as an "evolution of our service," adding that "TV behavior is changing, and Amazon has been part of that change." Amazon "just secured a deal" to screen 10 live NFL games "over the course of the next year" in the U.S. for $50M, so "some analysts see the Eurosport deal as a sign of the company's intent to become a major player in sports broadcasting." Green declined to "rule in" or "rule out" the possibility of Amazon acquiring its own live exclusive rights to top-tier sports content such as the English Premier League in the future (FINANCIAL TIMES, 5/23). BROADBAND TV NEWS' Briel & Krieger reported Amazon's pay-TV platform "could have strong impact on the pay-TV market," according to research company CCS Insight Multiplay & Media Dir Paolo Pescatore. He said, "A highly disruptive move and one that threatens Sky's dominance in the pay-TV market both in the U.K. and Germany." Pescatore added, "The addition of Discovery's channels is hugely significant. This is the first time that its channels have been made available outside of the Sky universe and out of a bundle" (BROADBAND TV NEWS, 5/23).
HORSE & COUNTRY: Horse & Country TV announced that its U.K. and German channels are now available on Amazon Channels. Equestrian sports and lifestyle fans will be able to view Horse & Country's live channel, all shows from the past 10 days and other selected video on demand (Horse & Country TV).
