Amazon spent $1.7bn on content in first quarter of 2019

The Marvellous Mrs Maisel

Amazon spent $1.7 billion on video and music content during the first quarter of this year, up from $1.5 billion during the same period in 2018.

It’s the first time the tech giant has detailed the growing cost of providing streaming services, and came in a filing last week with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the US.

The $1.7 billion sum includes the cost of licensing content and producing original filmed and musical offerings, as well as other costs associated with digital subscription services and rented content.

Spread over four quarters, analysts said it means that Amazon may spend around $7 billion on content this year.

However, because the figure includes licencing costs for music, it is difficult to establish how much Amazon is spending on film and TV production and licencing.

Analysts estimate that Netflix will spend over $15 billion on content this year, including $3 billion during the first three months of 2019.

Amazon originals include The Man in the High Castle, The Marvellous Mrs Maisel and The Grand Tour.