Amazon to Compete with YouTube
Amazon has launched Amazon Video Direct (AVD), which will allow anyone to offer videos on Amazon’s Prime Video platform, putting Amazon in direct competition with YouTube. AVD content creators can make their videos available to rent or own, only for Prime Video subscribers, or for free with ads. Amazon is also launching the AVD Stars program, which will distribute $1 million per month among the top 100 AVD titles in Prime Video. Amazon has already amassed some major partners for AVD, including Conde Nast Entertainment, Business Insider, The Guardian, HowStuffWorks, Mashable, Mattel, and Samuel Goldwyn Films. As much Amazon Video Direct is clearly targeting Google’s YouTube, the added AVD content may help make Amazon’s Prime Video more compelling than Apple’s iTunes video library.