Amazon, CBS strike deal for streaming TV shows
updated 11:05 am EDT, Wed July 20, 2011
Amazon and CBS deal dampens Hulu buy rumor
Amazon.com and CBS Corporation on Wednesday announced they have entered into a non-exclusive licensing agreement that will let Amazon Prime customers stream CBS TV shows. The deal will see 2,000 additional episodes from 18 CBS TV shows such as The Tudors, Cheers, and the complete Star Trek series collection, among others. Also, later this summer, regular Amazon Instant Video customers will get access to dozens of CBS shows.
Amazon Prime customers will not have to pay any more for their existing memberships. Either Amazon service lets users access content from Amazon on a Mac, PC, or their TV thanks to a connected and compatible device.
Amazon was rumored to be in talks with Hulu for buying it out, though this new deal dampens the likelihood of a deal if other networks sign on. Hulu's existing studio partners include Comcast (NBC), Disney, and News Corp. (Fox) and would give Amazon the advantage of newer shows, but also likely mandatory conditions such as extensive ads.
Amazon is known to be readying a nine-inch Android tablet that will be a showcase for its video streaming services. Getting content deals is likely vital to comparing against the iPad's much wider catalog and variety of apps.
