Amazon Inks Deal With Viacom, Bringing More TV Shows to Prime Instant Video
Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) on Wednesday announced a deal that will bring content from Viacom (NYSE:VIA) to its Prime Instant Video streaming service.
The online retail giant said in a press release that over the next several months it will add titles including MTV’s “The Hills” and “Jersey Shore,” Comedy Central’s “Chappelle’s Show” and “The Sarah Silverman Program,” and Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants,” among others.
“We now offer more than 15,000 movies and TV shows in Prime Instant Videos and are working hard to add even more great content," Amazon director of video content acquisitions Brad Beale said.
The announcement comes on the heels of a Reuters report on Tuesday that said a deal was close between the two companies and also suggested a new standalone Amazon video streaming service (as opposed to one bundled with Prime) was close to being launched. There was no mention of the new video service in Wednesday’s announcement, however.
Amazon Prime is a membership program the retailer offers for $79 a year that provides customers with free two-day shipping, a selection of commercial-free television shows and movies for streaming online, as well as access to the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library, which lets subscribers borrow for free from a selection of books once a month.
