MUMBAI: Online retail major Amazon.com has announced a content licensing agreement with Scripps Networks Interactive that will make Prime Instant Video a subscription home to hundreds of episodes from past seasons of TV shows from the Scripps family of brands: HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network, Cooking Channel and Travel Channel.
Prime members can instantly view hundreds of episodes of original programming, including ‘Rachael Ray‘s Week in a Day‘; ‘Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations‘; ‘Cupcake Wars‘; ‘Diners‘, ‘Drive-Ins and Dives‘, ‘Man v. Food‘ and ‘Yard Crashers‘.
Many of the lifestyle programmes from Scripps will also be available for purchase and downloaded from Amazon Instant Video. Amazon Instant Video is a digital video streaming and download service that offers Amazon customers the ability to rent, purchase or subscribe to a catalogue of videos.
Amazon Prime is an annual membership programme for $79 a year that offers customers unlimited Free Two-Day Shipping on items including books, home and garden products, electronics, video games and clothing.
Amazon director of digital video content acquisition Brad Beale said, "The Scripps family of networks - including HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network, Cooking Channel and Travel Channel - airs some of the highest-quality and most popular unscripted lifestyle programming on TV today. We are excited to be the exclusive online-only subscription home for Scripps content and know our customers are going to love getting these great shows as part of Prime."
This is the first online-only subscription distribution deal for Scripps Networks Interactive.
Scripps Networks Interactive executive VP, content distribution and marketing Henry Ahn said, "One of the guiding principles at Scripps Networks Interactive is to make our valued lifestyle content accessible to consumers wherever and whenever they want. Licensing content from our extensive library to Amazon provides our millions of avid fans with yet another opportunity to engage with our entertaining and informative content. And the Amazon platform is a great complement to our branded products such as books, cookware, furniture and accessories, lighting and more."
Earlier Amazon and CBS had announced an extension of their non-exclusive licensing agreement, including the subscription debuts of ‘The Amazing Race‘ and Undercover Boss, as well as a deal that will make Prime Instant Video the exclusive subscription home for the series ‘Under the Dome‘ this summer. Amazon had also announced that Prime Instant Video will soon become the exclusive online subscription home for PBS‘ ‘Downton Abbey‘.
