Amazon's IMDB Tipped In Plan To Launch Free Video Streaming Service

Amazon's IMDB will be revealing a new ad-supported video streaming service soon, according to a new report. The service, which has previously leaked as an alleged form of Prime Video that is free to use, will be limited to Fire TV users, but won't come with the Prime subscription requirement that exists for Prime Video users. The service reportedly will, in part, help grow Amazon's digital advertisement business.

The details come from CNBC and The Information, the first of the two reporting that the service will likely be announced this week. The service is described as something similar to The Roku Channel, in that content will be free but include advertisements; unlike The Roku Channel, which has expanded to non Roku owners, IMDB's offering will reportedly only be available to stream on Fire TV devices.

The leak claims viewers will see advertisements played between content, and that advertisers will also have the option to wrap its ads around the video player. The appeal for marketers, at least according to the report, would be in the data Amazon will allegedly let them access.

A source claimed Amazon will allow these companies to see proprietary data from Fire TV users to help advertisers target ads at viewers. The report goes on to claim that Amazon has been talking with a trio of big media companies in order to get content for streaming on its upcoming IMDB product.

The sources allege that content will include movies and older TV shows, though there's nothing officially stated at this time. The report also marks another return of a rumor we've seen for months: that Amazon is planning to create an ad-supported version of its Prime Video product, removing the subscription cost in exchange for viewing ads. The company has previously dismissed such a rumor.

SOURCE: CNBC