Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN) is jumping with glee.
Ever since rolling out its Prime Instant Video service early this year, it has been aggressively growing the video offerings and adding more and more reasons to fork over $79 per year to become a Prime Member. The service still lags Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX) in terms of selection, but it's quite a steal when you consider the bundled two-day shipping and Kindle Lending Library for about 18% less annually.
Amazon already has content partners like CBS (NYSE: CBS), which brings Star Trek and Frasier to the mix, and News Corp.'s (Nasdaq: NWSA) Twentieth Century Fox puts up cult favorites Arrested Development and The Wonder Years.
Amazon has just announced that it has extended the licensing agreement already inked with Fox, and will be adding popular shows Glee and Sons of Anarchy to its lineup. The first two seasons are available immediately, and future seasons will also become available through Prime Instant Video. The latest additions bring the Instant Video library up to almost 13,000 movies and TV shows.
Prime is a compelling offer, especially with how Amazon has demonstrated its commitment to growing the library. Netflix is taking its service to a new level with exclusive original content deals, such as reviving the Bluth family for a fresh round (compared to the old Arrested Development seasons on Prime) that will likely bring me back as a subscriber.
With as much as Amazon is packing into Prime, it simply couldn't afford a deal like that. I also doubt DISH Network's (Nasdaq: DISH) Blockbuster Movie Pass or Coinstar's (Nasdaq: CSTR) and Verizon's (NYSE: VZ) rumored red-on-red mashup would go for exclusive content, either.
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings is still a visionary, but so is Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. I would pay to watch them duke it out UFC-style, but who would get the content deal to stream the match to me first?
Add these video streaming players to your Watchlist to see them all duke it out in a UFC-style battle royale.
- Add Amazon.com to My Watchlist.
- Add Netflix to My Watchlist.
- Add Dish Network to My Watchlist.
- Add Coinstar to My Watchlist.
- Add Verizon Communications to My Watchlist.
