Amazon just launched its own version of YouTube
Amazon has upped the ante again when it comes to video with a new service which sounds a lot like YouTube.
Users will be able to upload their own content through Amazon Video Direct (AVD) and it will be available to the millions of members of its Prime Video streaming service alongside movies and original TV shows, such as the soon to launch car show featuring the former presenters of Top Gear and Emmy and Bafta award-winning Transparent.
"It’s an amazing time to be a content creator. There are more options for distribution than ever before and with Amazon Video Direct, for the first time, there’s a self-service option for video providers to get their content into a premium streaming subscription service. We’re excited to make it even easier for content creators to find an audience, and for that audience to find great content," said vice president of amazon video Jim Freeman.
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Videos can also be made free to anyone – not just Prime subscribers – and creators can choose if content is free or to rent. They will also generate revenue from sales and royalties.
Amazon will also pay out one million dollars each month to the creators of the top 100 videos which engaged users the most.
In addition to rivalling Google's YouTube, which is the top dog in user-generated video content by a country mile, it will also take on more niche platforms such as Vimeo and Dailymotion.
But Amazon is also looking towards firms such as Mattel to produce more than cat videos for the service and increase its selection of original programming without having to negotiate individual deals.
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“Amazon Video Direct helps us reach fans of our beloved preschool brands, including classic Thomas and Friends, Barney & Friends, Angelina Ballerina, Fireman Sam and Pingu, and get the content in front of Prime members faster than ever and into new territories. The upload and publishing process is easy and fast, and we can directly monitor our streaming performance through our online dashboard,” said Andrea Carpenter, senior director, global content marketing and distribution at Mattel.
Other firms signed up to the platform, which launches today, include Conde Nast, The Guardian, Business Insider, and HowStuffWorks.