Walmart's Vudu Taps MGM For Original Ad-Supported Video Content

Walmart has teamed up with Metro Goldwyn Mayer to get original content for its Vudu on-demand video streaming service, the company has announced. The move follows many other bigger names in the video streaming market, most of them seeing great success with their own original offerings, Netflix arguably the most popular among them.

Walmart acquired Vudu nearly a decade ago, but has failed to launch it into a video streaming service akin to Netflix or Hulu. Previous, relatively recent rumors have claimed the company was considering adding a subscription streaming plan to the service, but that won't be happening, according to sources speaking to Reuters.

However, both it and Variety report that Walmart has struck a new deal with MGM to get original content, an increasingly common method by such services to bring in new customers. Variety reports that Walmart's Vudu will be getting licensed and commissioned original content from non-MGM sources, as well, though none were stated.

The original content will be made available under "Movies on Us," an ad-supported part of the Vudu service. The streaming company has indicated it will be launching family-friendly original content that is safe for advertisers...and, of course, viewers who want to watch it will only be able to get it through Vudu.

The move will be modest compared to companies like Netflix and Amazon, though, according to Vudu VP of product and ad-support VOD Scott Blanksteen. In a comment to Variety, Blanksteen said, "We are not going to be a studio."

SOURCE: Reuters