Amazon Prime Instant Video


EC plans ‘threaten production, distribution’

Another independent film and television producers body has attacked the European Commission’s Digital Single Market plans. The Independent Film & Television Alliance has joined UK producers body PACT in claiming plans to allow consumers to access online content acquired in one country in other European states – the concept of ‘portability’ – threaten companies’ ability […]

UK TV viewers are most ‘tech-savvy’

Some 70% of UK adults will watch TV using free-to-air, catch-up services like the BBC iPlayer in December, more than in any other European country, according to Ofcom. The UK broadcast regulator’s research claims that UK viewers are now using TV gadgets “more than any other major country”, and that catch-up viewing is ahead of […]

Amazon orders David E. Kelley court drama

Amazon Prime Instant Video has ordered a court drama from Ally McBeal creator David E. Kelley starring Billy Bob Thornton and William Hurt. Trial will debut exclusively on Amazon in the UK, Germany, Austria, Japan and the US next year. Kelley is writing the show with Jonathan Shapiro (The Practice), with the pair executive producing […]

Virgin UK captures Ash Vs Evil Dead exclusive

Virgin Media has acquired first-run rights to comedy-drama Ash Vs Evil Dead, a move that creates a “step-change” in the battle for exclusive programming in the UK. The pay TV service has acquired on-demand rights to the zombie series from Starz Digital, the on-demand licensing arm of the US premium pay firm Starz. This takes […]

Amazon, BBCWW coproduce fashion drama

Amazon Prime Instant Video and BBC Worldwide have greenlit an eight-part fashion-themed drama from UK indie Lookout Point. The Collection is set in the world of French haute couture just after the Second World War, and will launch exclusively in 2016 for Amazon Prime members in the UK. This marks the first time Amazon has […]

Amazon reaches out to TV scribes

Amazon has launched a new online tool to allow TV scribes to submit projects for the Prime Instant Video streaming service. Storywriter is cloud-based software for writers, allowing them to create TV and movie screenplays in a standardised format, offering, Amazon said, a free alternative to the costly paid-for options currently available. Amazon added that […]

Research: half of Americans use Netflix

Half of all Americans have used Netflix to stream television series and movies, new research shows. Fifty-one per cent of 1,077 people interviewed by RBC Capital said they had used the SVOD platform at least once in the past 12 months to watch programming. This is the highest level banking firm RBC has released since […]

‘HBO, Netflix lead Amazon in digital originals’

Demand for key original series from HBO Now and Netflix far out-strips that for Amazon Prime Instant Video shows internationally, according to new research. Parrot Analytics’s study of the UK, US and Australian markets showed HBO’s Game of Thrones is by far the most demanded originally-produced series from an SVOD provider. The results were reached […]

Time Warner ‘eyes Hulu stake’

Time Warner could become the latest media giant to invest in American on-demand platform Hulu. The Wall Street Journal reports Time Warner has been in talks with current owners Comcast, The Walt Disney Company and 21st Century Fox about becoming an equal stakeholder in the platform. This would mean each of those companies, whose stakes […]

Time Warner may extend SVOD holdback window

Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes has indicated his media giant may begin holding back key programming from subscription on-demand platforms. The move to extend linear broadcasts to “a multiyear period more consistent with traditional syndication” is a clear attempt to keep viewers on Time Warner’s traditional channels by withdrawing sought-after programming from the SVOD space. […]