<videovortex> Inside Amazon’s free video strategy

[Geert Lovink]

> Begin forwarded message:
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> From: Protocol Alerts <entertainment at protocol.com>
> Subject: Inside Amazon’s free video strategy
> Date: 7 October 2022 at 4:00:14 am GMT+2
> To: <geert at networkcultures.org>
> Reply-To: Protocol Alerts <entertainment at protocol.com>
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> Important stories and breaking news from the Protocol team. 
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> Inside Amazon’s free video strategy 
> Amazon has been doubling down on original content for Freevee, its ad-supported video service, which has seen a lot of growth thanks to a deep integration with other Amazon properties.
> 
> By Janko Roettgers | October 6, 2022
>  
> Amazon’s streaming efforts have long been all about Prime Video. So the company caught pundits by surprise when, in early 2019, it launched a stand-alone ad-supported streaming service called IMDb Freedive, with Techcrunch calling the move <https://protocol.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6e257ecc70e801f57e3e6a9cd&id=a4841a1003&e=1a62ddaaff> “a bit odd.”
> Nearly four years and two rebrandings later, Amazon’s ad-supported video efforts appear to be flourishing. Viewership of the service grew by 138% <https://protocol.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6e257ecc70e801f57e3e6a9cd&id=c3482a7904&e=1a62ddaaff> from 2020 to 2021, according to Amazon. The company declined to share any updated performance data on the service, which is now called Freevee, but a spokesperson told Protocol the performance of originals in particular “exceeded expectations,” leading Amazon to increase investments into original content by 70% year-over-year.
> Key to Freevee’s success has been its deep integration with Prime Video and Fire TV, where it lives alongside ad-free subscription fare, pay-as-you-go rentals, and third-party subscription channels. Now Amazon is looking to broaden its international reach.
> “I'm very excited about the possibility of an ad-supported service in front of the paywall in many countries,” said Ryan Pirozzi, who has been working on Amazon’s video strategy for over a decade and became head of Freevee in August.
> 
> Continue reading on Protocol.com... <https://protocol.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6e257ecc70e801f57e3e6a9cd&id=42952c0dca&e=1a62ddaaff>
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