With the news that Netflix is raising rates for both its monthly streaming service as well as rentals, online retailing giant Amazon.com is expanding its online streaming by entering into an agreement with CBS that will allow Amazon Prime members to instantly stream thousands of TV programs from CBS’s library.
The terms of the deal were not disclosed in the press release that went out on Wednesday, but here are the main points:
Amazon Prime customers will be able to instantly watch thousands of episodes from the CBS library at no additional cost to their membership.
Amazon will add 2,000 episodes to grow the total number of Prime instant videos to more than 8,000 movies and television shows, and offer full seasons for 18 popular television series, including “The Tudors,” “Numb3rs,” “Medium,” the complete “Star Trek” franchise, “Frasier” and “Cheers.”
Regarding the new deal with CBS, Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com CEO, said, “We’re excited to add thousands of popular CBS programs to our already great selection, all of which stream at no additional cost to Amazon Prime members.”
“Amazon has created one of the most popular consumer marketplaces in the world, and we are very pleased to make these titles available to their Instant Video and Prime customers,” said Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Corporation. “This new agreement represents another meaningful way for us to realize incremental value for CBS’s content.”
