Ad-supported streaming service IMDb TV is now to become, er, Amazon Freevee – more information on the change here.
If the first phase of the streaming battle was to get subscribers, it looks like the second will be to get viewers interested in free-to-use, advertising-funded services.
Some have been trying that already. Universal has such an option for its Peacock streaming service in the US, and for the last few years, Amazon has been gradually building up IMDb TV. This is the official streaming service of the Internet Movie Database, whereby you can watch some excellent films for free, just with adverts in the midst of them.
For viewers of a certain vintage, it’s still an upgrade on ITV putting the evening news slap bang in the middle of a good suspense thriller. Remember those days?
Anyway. The big news over the last week in the world of streaming has been Netflix teasing a possible cheaper ad-funded subscription option. And now Amazon has tried to jump ahead of that a little with the news that it’s set to rebrand IMDb TV.
The service will soon change its name to Amazon Freevee – I shit you not – and in particular it has its eyes on the Hulu service in the US as a competition yardstick.
The rebrand will kick in from tomorrow – April 27th – and Amazon is investing in specific programming for it too. It’s pledged top grow its slate of original material by 70% by the end of the year.
We’ll leave you for the minute with the logo for the rebranded service…
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