Global e-commerce giant Amazon is reportedly looking to broaden its streaming services in Australia by introducing ‘Amazon Channels’ down under.
The Australian Financial Review revealed three Seattle-based executives recently made the trip to Australia to meet with local media executives.
The Amazon reps were believed to have been investigating the possibility of launching Amazon Channels in Australia, the company’s third-party video streaming service.
In the US, Amazon has generated billions by allowing Amazon Prime users to subscribe to streaming options from the likes of HBO and Showtime through Channels.
Users are charged in accordance with the streaming options they sign up for, creating a more affordable alternative to pay TV for many users.
Both Foxtel and Fetch offer similar services, however, Amazon Channels does not require any hardware, like a set-top-box.
Amazon Prime has now been available to Australians for three years.
The meetings in Australia are believed to have been with NBCUniversal, BBC and Discovery.
And while Channels would allow Amazon to increase its presence in the increasingly crowded Australian streaming market, there are a number of hurdles Jeff Bezos and Co. would have to first overcome.
Current content provider contracts are likely to have a Most Favoured Nation clause, explained the AFR, meaning the seller (eg HBO) has agreed to give the buyer (eg Foxtel) the best terms it makes available.
