Amazon expands CBS content on Prime Instant Video, lands an Under the Dome exclusive
Amazon only managed to land a slice of CBS' library for Prime Instant Video on the first pass; it's coming back for a second helping, including one of its first cracks at genuinely recent content from the network. A widened licensing deal gives subscribers access to further CBS and Showtime series that include Jericho, The L Word and an unspecified number of other shows. And for those intrigued by the broadcaster's upcoming adaptation of Stephen King's Under the Dome, Amazon will be the only choice for many viewers: Prime Instant Video will be the exclusive home for subscription streaming and purchased downloads of the series, delivering streaming episodes about four days after their air date in order to shelter CBS' traditional advertisers. Amazon may not have have completely locked in an audience between this and the Downton Abbey deal, but the recent set of exclusives is likely to leave Netflix feeling nervous.
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Amazon and CBS Announce Expanded Content Licensing Agreement
Amazon Prime members now have more of their favorite CBS series to choose from for instant streaming, at no additional cost on hundreds of devices
New programming now available to Amazon Prime members includes America's Next Top Model, Everybody Loves Raymond, Undercover Boss, United States of Tara and more
NEW YORK & SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 13, 2013-- CBS Corporation and Amazon.com, Inc. today announced an expanded content licensing agreement to bring classic series and hit TV shows from CBS Television Distribution and Showtime Networks to Amazon's Prime Instant Video service, extending the already vast catalog of CBS content available for Prime members to instantly stream, and enjoy at no additional cost.
With this agreement, popular CBS and Showtime series coming to Prime Instant Video for the first time include America's Next Top Model, Everybody Loves Raymond, Jericho, The L Word, Undercover Boss and United States of Tara, among others. In addition, fan-favorite TV series such as Medium, The Tudors, the complete Star Trek franchise, I Love Lucy, and more, will continue to be available for Prime members to stream, commercial-free at no additional cost on Kindle Fire HD, Kindle Fire, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Roku, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii and Wii U, among other devices. To sign up for Amazon Prime, visit www.amazon.com/primeinstantvideo.
"CBS was one of our earliest content partners for Prime Instant Video and our Prime customers have consistently told us how much they love having access to great CBS and Showtime shows," said Brad Beale, Director of Digital Video Content Acquisition for Amazon. "Adding a wider selection of great TV series, while extending our already popular selection of CBS programming, continues to make Prime an even better deal for customers – and we love that."
"We're very pleased to extend our relationship with Amazon and their Prime Instant Video service," said Scott Koondel, Chief Corporate Licensing Officer for CBS Corporation. "Clearly the appetite for CBS programming continues to be very healthy, and we look forward to continuing to reach and establish new fans through Amazon's terrific platform."
Amazon's Prime Instant Video service recently announced it will be the exclusive online subscription home for the CBS summer series Under the Dome – produced by Steven Spielberg and based on Stephen King's best-selling novel of the same name – which will give Amazon Prime members unlimited access to the TV series just four days after airing and will also be available for purchase and download to all Amazon customers exclusively on Amazon Instant Video. In addition, Amazon announced that Prime Instant Video will soon become the exclusive online subscription home for PBS series, Downton Abbey. The Prime Instant Video library now features more than 36,000 movies and TV episodes including fan-favorite shows such as Downton Abbey, Fringe, and The West Wing and blockbuster movies including Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Rango and Transformers: Dark of the Moon.
Amazon and CBS Corporation Announce Content Licensing Agreement for Prime Instant Video To Be Exclusive Online Subscription Home for CBS's Under the Dome
New TV series based on Stephen King novel and produced by Steven Spielberg's Amblin Television to premiere on CBS Television Network in June
Amazon Prime members will have unlimited access to series episodes just four days after broadcast and Under the Dome will also be available for purchase and download exclusively on Amazon Instant Video
LOS ANGELES & SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 11, 2013-- CBS Corporation and Amazon.com, Inc. announced today a content licensing agreement for the new CBS television series Under the Dome, establishing an in-season, online subscription-video-on-demand (SVOD) window for the show on Amazon's Prime Instant Video service. Prime Instant Video will be the exclusive online subscription home for Under the Dome.
The serialized drama from Steven Spielberg's Amblin Television, based on Stephen King's best-selling novel of the same name, will premiere on the CBS Television Network on June 24, 2013.
Amazon Prime members will have unlimited streaming of all the series' episodes four days after their initial broadcast on CBS, at no additional cost, and will be able to enjoy them on hundreds of compatible Amazon Instant Video devices including Kindle Fire HD, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Roku, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and the Wii U gaming console. Episodes of Under the Dome will also be available for purchase and download exclusively at Amazon Instant Video (www.amazon.com/AIV).
Under the Dome tells the story of a small New England town that is suddenly and inexplicably sealed off from the rest of the world by an enormous transparent dome. Under the Dome earned widespread critical acclaim and #1 best-seller status when it was first published by Simon & Schuster's Scribner in 2009 and was an Amazon.com bestseller in both Books and Kindle Books in 2009.
"Amazon has the distinct combination of having a terrific video service with a huge fan base among their customers for Stephen King's book, making them the perfect partner for this summer programming event," said Scott Koondel, Chief Corporate Content Licensing Officer, CBS Corporation. "With this innovative agreement, we're giving fans more options to watch and stay current with this serialized series, and doing so in a way that protects the Television Network's C3 advertising window."
"With creative forces of Stephen King and Steven Spielberg's Amblin Television behind Under the Dome, we think our customers will love this new show and we're excited to be able to offer this highly-anticipated series at no additional cost to Prime members," said Brad Beale, Director of Digital Video Content Acquisition for Amazon. "Adding a current season major network TV series like Under the Dome to the Prime Instant Video library so shortly after its live airing enables us to increase our exclusive selection of great TV shows and give customers access how, when and where they want to watch it."
Just last week, Amazon announced that Prime Instant Video will soon become the exclusive online subscription home for PBS hit Downton Abbey. The Prime Instant Video library now features more than 36,000 movies and TV episodes including fan-favorite shows such as Downton Abbey, Fringe, and The West Wing and blockbuster movies including Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Rango and Transformers: Dark of the Moon, for Amazon Prime members to stream, commercial free at no additional cost on Kindle Fire HD, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Roku, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii and Wii U, among other devices. To sign up for Amazon Prime, visit www.amazon.com/primeinstantvideo.
Under the Dome is produced by CBS Television Studios in association with Steven Spielberg's Amblin Television. Neal Baer, Stephen King, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Stacey Snider and Brian K. Vaughan, who wrote the television adaptation, will serve as executive producers. Acclaimed director Niels Arden Oplev will direct the first episode.
