Amazon Prime Video’s Australian chief has doubled down on criticism of proposals for local content quotas on offshore streaming services, as the tech giant unveiled plans to strengthen its presence in living rooms by aggregating rival online video offerings.
The global e-commerce and cloud computing behemoth will on Tuesday launch Prime Video Channels, which will enable members to add a range of on-demand and streaming entertainment channels including Paramount+, and hayu to be viewed on any device.
Hushidar Kharas, who runs Amazon Prime Video in Australia, told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age he hopes the subscription add-ons will centralise the entertainment experience for users. “In a world where there’s constant choice and information, we want to make it as easy for customers as we can,” he said.
Hushidar Kharas said he’s excited by the increased variety that will come with the launch of Amazon Prime Video in Australia.
Prime Video Channels will launch in Australia with an initial 12 subscriptions across genres such as comedy, drama, thriller and documentaries also including STARZPLAY and AMC+. Mr Kharas said the group was excited to launch the world’s first LGBTQI+ television network OutTV through Prime Video Channels. “We are leaning into diverse content in a big way, we want to distribute support to a wide variety of channels, so the customers have a wide variety of choices,” he said.
The launch of Prime Video Channels is the latest in a string of moves by the tech giant to hone in on its Australian market. In August, the group announced deal with Foxtel Group that will integrate the Prime Video app into Foxtel set-tops by the end of this year. While it may seem counterproductive to partner with a direct competitor, Mr Kharas said Prime Video prioritises collaboration for its customers, “we prefer to provide as much choice as possible, he said.
Amazon Prime Video does not break out its local figures but estimates from Telsyte last August indicate the streaming service has nearly 2 million subscribers in Australia. It has accumulated that audience by selling packages between $6.99 a month and $59 a year. The Prime Video Channels subscriptions will range from $3.99-$8.99 each month.
During the COVID-19 lockdowns that grounded most Australian film productions to a halt, the film and production industry called on the Australian government to mandate streaming services be subject to a 20 per cent investment in local content. But Mr Kharas said the group’s announcement of 14 shows, including Luxe Listing, and Making the Mark amounted to more than $150 million in local content investment, showing quotas were “unnecessary”.
Loading
He said the investment had created more than 2,500 jobs and shows Prime Video has been investing “ahead of the curve”.
