Prime Video Channels: part of Amazon UK’s bigger picture
- Publisher Enders Analysis.
- Publish Date December 9, 2019
- Sector Digital Media, Media, SVOD, UK Media.
- Company

Amazon Channels’ aggregation of third-party streaming services enhances the consumer appeal of its wider video proposition, provides incremental revenues and increases the stickiness of the Prime shopping service
Content partners range from major players (e.g. Discovery and ITV) to the more niche (e.g. MUBI and Tastemade), who all benefit from a ready-made platform, billing relationships and a receptive subscriber base. But the revenue shares, data costs and lack of direct customer relationships remain too high a price for some
Two and a half years on from its UK launch, opportunities for live, ad-supported and bundled content are diversifying the platform, but Amazon must prioritise discovery within Prime Video to continue to flourish
Contents
The importance of Amazon Channels
Apple is following a similar line with TV Channels
Amazon Channels by country
More services at lower price points
Prioritising major services
The implications for UK content partners
The benefits
The costs
On-demand suits reality and drama, but live video is crucial for major partners
ITV Hub+
The future of Channels
Implications for Channels partners in the UK
Competing ‘channels’ distributors
Advertising
Bundles
For Amazon
List of charts/tables
Figure 1: Amazon Prime launch years and Prime Video Channels availability (in bold)
Figure 2: Amazon's net sales by country ($bn)
Figure 3: Number of Amazon Channels by country
Figure 4: SVOD penetration, UK adults, H1 2019
Figure 5: Average daily TV viewing time, 2010-2018 (2010=100)
Figure 6: Average monthly price of Amazon Channels by country
Figure 7: Average monthly price of Amazon Channels by country
Figure 8: Timeshifted share of broadcast TV viewing by channel
Figure 9: Amazon’s Channel Guide
Figure 10: Timeshifted share of ITV2 viewing and Hub+ subscribers
Figure 11: ITV Hub+ and DTC revenues, H1 2019 (£m)
Figure 12: Proportion of UK SVOD* households taking multiple services