Commentary

Bored With Mainstream SVOD Channel, Will Amazon Produce More Premium TV?

Amazon continues to expand as your online everyday retailer for everything -- including your everyday TV shows.

But what about looking higher, on more “premium”-feel TV programs, shows on channels like HBO or Showtime? Reports suggest Amazon is doing just that -- wanting to start its own premium TV channel, producing its own “high-end” dramas and movies.

Amazon has already tiptoed into this arena -- especially when it comes to winning awards. Awards are something HBO gets a lot of -- especially Emmys. It can regular pull in 100 to 125 or more trophies in a year.

In 2016, Amazon won three Emmys (two for “Transparent”); Amazon won five Emmys in 2015. Jeffrey Tambor also won a Golden Globe for best actor in 2015.

And for the Oscars. Theatrically, Amazon’s has received seven Academy Award nominations this year; six for “Manchester by the Sea” including Best Picture.

Amazon isn’t on HBO’s level when it comes to total hardware -- not even close. But if the reports are to believe, the big online retailer is already thinking about what it knows best: increasing shelf space.

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Amazon started as a bookseller. Then it realized it could offer the same service, with lower pricing, for a slew of retail products -- upscale, luxury as well as lower and mainstream.

Aren’t there enough premium TV channels out there, such as HBO, Showtime, Starz, Epix, and perhaps parts of Netflix? We already have worries about fractionalization, due to 400 plus scripted TV shows on various TV networks and services.

We’ll repeat what everyone knows: Developing and producing TV shows and movies isn’t for the faint of heart. You need lots of disposable cash to fail most of the time. Amazon has this kind of money.

If true, Amazon’s aspirations also apply to all forms of distribution/production for TV, movies and video. And is there more? TV news and TV sports?

We can only think of one thing missing: Home Shopping Channel.

Oh, wait. Seems like they already have that covered.

1 comment about "Bored With Mainstream SVOD Channel, Will Amazon Produce More Premium TV?".
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  1. Ed Papazian from Media Dynamics Inc, February 14, 2017 at 10:05 a.m.

    If Amazon is really serious about gambling on true "premium" TV conetnt, which means scripted sitcoms, drama series and made-for- Amazon movies, it will have to learn the lessons that the broadcast TV networks and some cable programmers have learned---the hard way. It's a high risk ploy that requires a good deal of experienced talent on the program development and buying side at Amazon. Has Amazon such a group of experienced TV programmers on staff? Are they hiring? If not, will they simply go shopping in Hollywood and elsewhere and trust the producers? LOL.

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