AMAZON IS SHOPPING for small, independent television channels to add to its Amazon Prime Video offering as it forges ahead with its plan to become a dominant video player.
In the past few weeks, Amazon has started talks to buy “scores” of small television channels, in the U.S. and globally, according to a NBC News report. Many networks have channels like these, including Turner Broadcasting’s Adult Swim and Boomerang, or Viacom’s VH1 and CMT.
“They are doubling down on the channels business,” said an unidentified industry programmer in the report. “They’re interested in doing deals with smaller indie networks where they can get rights to channels that are not handcuffed into [traditional distribution] bundles and they’re interested in offering them individually. Eventually they may bundle them together.”
While Amazon has many competitors that also offer on-line TV channels, it is unique, largely because of its vast trove of purchasing data, continues the report. Amazon could potentially track the ads viewed on its TV channels, and then link them to online purchases.
