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HBO will pull its shows from Amazon Prime in 2018
If you've been using Amazon to catch up on classic HBO shows, you'd better hurry. HBO chief Richard Plepler now expects to pull his channel's library from Amazon Prime Video once the existing agreement ends in mid-2018. Simply put, the pay broadcaster is going all-in on HBO Now -- why undermine your own paid service by licensing to someone else? Instead, it'll take advantage of the "enormous momentum" of Now signups through Amazon Channels, not to mention sales through future owner AT&T's DirecTV Now.
Amazon gives Prime to everyone in Manchester-by-the-Sea
Amazon just highlighted one of the bonuses of both producing movies and running the internet service that plays them: you can offer viewer perks that conventional studios can't match. The online giant is giving away a year of free Prime membership (plus some Amazon popcorn) to every home in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts in order to mark the streaming availability of Manchester by the Sea on May 5th. It's clearly a publicity stunt, and a modest one when it would cost just over $500,000 to give the entire 2010 population (a whopping 5,136 people) Prime access. However, the scale of the giveaway isn't what's significant here -- it's more the long-term ramifications that matter.
Amazon's next video original is a smash British TV series
Netflix isn't the only streaming service that can snap up a popular British TV show. Amazon has revealed that season two of Fortitude, Sky's well-received Arctic thriller, will be one of its original series. It'll be available on BBC Two in the UK, but you'll need to head to Prime Video to watch in the US. The story revolves around its namesake community, where parasites and pathogens run rampant -- suffice it to say that a sheriff's disappearance and a dead body are just the start of the town's troubles. Dennis Quaid and Game of Thrones' Richard Dormer are the most recognizable stars.
'Ronja, the Robber's Daughter' streams on Amazon January 27th
Studio Ghibli fans don't have too much longer to wait before setting sights on Ronja, the Robber's Daughter. All 26 episodes of the English dub will debut January 27th on Amazon Prime Video, according to Entertainment Weekly. Based on the trailer below, at least, the voice overs and lip sync don't seem particularly offensive, but there is a glaring lack of Gillian Anderson's narration throughout.
Amazon spins out Prime Video and launches it globally
For years, Amazon has used its video streaming service as a carrot to get customers to sign up to its annual Prime subscription. It meant that viewers who didn't live in one of Amazon's supported countries couldn't watch the retail giant's original TV shows and movies without having to resort to alternative means. With Jeremy Clarkson and co. now on the service following the big-budget debut of The Grand Tour, Amazon has decided to fully engage Netflix and spin out its streaming service, today launching Prime Video in "200 countries and territories" around the world with a low introductory price of $3/€3 per month.
The best TV shows to binge watch over Christmas
On-demand TV has become more and more popular over the past few years. For many, it's now their default way to enjoy TV. Gone are the days of putting in a videotape and setting a timer, it's now all about setting up series link or loading up a streaming app. With an extra long Christmas weekend to look forward to this year, there's plenty of time to catch up on all those series you (and maybe the family) have been meaning to watch. Here's what we think you should be streaming.
The best Christmas movies on Amazon UK Prime Video
Not so long ago, the festive film choice on TV at Christmas involved a toss up between Mary Poppins and One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing. Now, Amazon Prime has a small but varied selection of festive hits on offer on-demand. Here are the films we think you should add to your free watch list to watch over the holiday period.
WSJ: Amazon ponders live sports on Prime
Amazon already offers a robust library of movies and television for streaming, but the online retailer could be looking to tackle one of the last remaining strongholds of pay television. The Wall Street Journal reports the company has held talks over the last few months with the NBA, MLB, NFL and MLS. Amazon has reportedly also met with the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), which has it's own network with a hand from ESPN, in addition to Campus Insiders and 120 Sports for college athletics coverage.
Amazon chronicles Hugh Hefner's life in upcoming original series
Like Hulu and Netflix, Amazon continues to add to its library of original content. Today, the online retailer announced a 13-episode show that will chronicle the life of Hugh Hefner. American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story will span the media mogul's six-decade career at the helm of Playboy magazine. The show will take on a documentary-style approach, starting with the founding of the iconic publication in 1953. Using 17,000 hours of never-before-seen footage from the magazine's archives and content over 2,600 of Hefner's personal scrapbooks, there's sure to be a wealth of info for the series to pull from.
Sky and Amazon team up for Roman Empire drama 'Britannia'
There's no grand secret as to why Sky is the dominant pay-TV provider in the UK. The movie premieres, exclusive sports programming and biggest shows from major US cable networks are what subscribers shell out the big bucks for. And to make sure it keeps the A-grade content coming, Sky has taken to cavorting with an on-demand enemy for the first time. The broadcaster and Amazon today announced they are co-producing a new drama series called Britannia, written by Jez Butterworth of Spectre/Black Mass/Edge of Tomorrow fame, and starring various people who's names you won't know but who's faces you've probably seen in something before.
Amazon Video for Android adds support for SD cards
Amazon just pushed a small, but important update to its Android video app: starting today, users can choose where downloaded files are stored. It sounds insignificant, but for heavy users, this is a really big deal -- until now, Amazon Video would only store content on a device's internal storage, severely limiting how much content one could keep on the device. Not anymore. Now, if you have an SD card, you have room for more movies. The feature is rolling out to customers in the US, UK, Germany, Austria and Japan. It's about time.
Amazon adds PBS Kids shows to its children's lineup
Amazon is always looking to pad its streaming library, and that includes new shows for younger viewers. The company announced today that it's now the "exclusive subscription streaming home" for a number of PBS Kids series. Shows like Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Wild Kratts, Odd Squad, Dinosaur Train and more are available to Prime members at no extra charge.
Amazon Japan adds 12 new original series to Prime Video
Amazon isn't wasting any time making good on its original programming plans for Japan. As part of its Prime Video service, which launched in September of last year, the company had announced plans to offer about 20 original shows tailored to that market. And today, Amazon Japan has unveiled a slate of originals detailing 12 new series that span a variety of genres, including documentaries, dramas and children's shows. Standouts include Magi, a time-traveling historical drama about teens that return to Japan to find Christianity's been banned; new versions of Ultraman and Kamen Rider; and manga adaptations like Businessmen vs. Aliens and Baby Steps. While some of these series are already available to stream now, others are planned to debut later in the year or even in 2017. It's also worth noting that Prime Video subscribers in Japan get access to these originals, as well as other Amazon series like Mozart in the Jungle for the bargain price of $32/year. Doesn't seem fair, now does it?
Amazon's new motoring show will be called 'The Grand Tour'
At last, the new motoring show from Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond has a name: The Grand Tour. The former Top Gear trio signed for Amazon last July with the promise of more automobile adventures. We've known for some time that it would debut on Prime Video this fall, with at least three seasons premiering over as many years. But there's never been a name -- something Clarkson and the gang have frequently poked fun at -- until now. Notably, The Grand Tour can be condensed to TGT or GT, an acronym similar to Top Gear's own TG.
Amazon announces a simple way to put your videos on its platform
Amazon has spent the past few years emulating Netflix with its many streaming video offerings. Now with Amazon Video Direct (AVD), it's taking a cue from Vimeo and YouTube by making it easier than ever to get your videos streaming, and most importantly, get you paid. You'll be able to upload your own videos and choose exactly how you want people to access them with AVD. You could, for example, make them available to all Amazon Prime viewers, or just go the typical video on demand rental and purchase route. Alternatively, you can also make it open to all Amazon members with ad support, or create a whole channel available via subscription through Amazon's Streaming Partners Program.
Amazon offers NBC's Seeso comedy service as a streaming add-on
NBC's Seeso comedy streaming service has been available to all since January, and now Amazon Prime members are getting easy access. The online retailer added NBC's lineup of comedy TV shows and movies, which includes new episodes of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Myers the day after they air. You'll have to shell out an extra $4/month for Seeso on top of that Prime subscription, but doing so puts the comedy library alongside your other Amazon videos.
Amazon snags 'Downton Abbey' creator's next show for Prime Video
Amazon is hoping for another streaming hit with Julian Fellowes Presents Doctor Thorne, the next show from the creator of Downton Abbey. Amazon has snapped up US distribution of the series from the Weinstein Company, and all three episodes of the show will hit Prime Video on May 20. As you'd expect, it's a period piece with an ensemble cast (including Tom Hollander, Ian Mcshane and Alison Brie) and a healthy dose of distinctly British drama. Reviews of the show from UK media have been surprisingly lukewarm, but that won't stop American viewers from binging anyway.
Amazon Prime Video is now a standalone monthly service
You no longer need to pay $100 in one shot to get a year of Amazon Prime. The retail giant now offers a monthly option for its full Prime service at $10.99 per month, with the option to cancel at any time. More interestingly, it broke out its Prime Video service for $8.99 a month if folks want streaming but don't need free shipping, music streaming and other perks. With the service, Amazon appears to be making a concerted effort to take on Netflix, which recently increased its price for new users from $8.99 to $9.99.
Amazon Video gets an NFL reality show this summer
NFL Films isn't confining its efforts to conventional TV and movies. The sports video producer has unveiled All or Nothing, a football reality show destined solely for Amazon Video. The series will follow a given NFL team's internal drama through a whole season, starting with the Arizona Cardinals' 2015 path to the NFC Championship Game. The initial eight-episode run will be available this summer on any device that can handle Amazon's internet video services, so you'll have no shortage of gridiron action to watch on your Fire TV while you're waiting for the next season to start.
Amazon renews 'Mozart in the Jungle' for a third season
It was only a matter of time, really. Hot on the heels of two Golden Globe wins, Amazon has renewed Mozart in the Jungle for a third season. The company is shy on what the new run will entail, but it does say that the streaming series will have Rodrigo de Souza and the orchestra try to conquer Europe. Frankly, it would have been surprising if Amazon hadn't continued the series. Even if Mozart didn't win any awards, it's one of the tentpole shows for Amazon alongside the likes of Transparent and The Man in the High Castle -- it'll likely stick around as long as it continues to reel in subscribers.
