Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN) is reportedly investing millions of dollars in original content that it plans to air exclusively on its Web platforms as part of what is seen as a further blurring of the lines between over-the-top (OTT) video and traditional television.
While Amazon's plans might seem like an OTT play, a Marketing Magazine illustrated that Amazon executives aren't thinking of their fare as anything other than traditional TV shown on an online platform.
"I think the distinction between a TV show and an online TV show will soon fade away," Ray Price, director of Amazon Studios said in the story.
Following that line of thinking, online TV will become IPTV and Amazon will become a service provider.
The magazine said that Amazon is investing about $1 million each for 11 pilots of what looks very much like traditional TV programming. It will then "air the pilots online, letting millions of customers decide if the shows go into full production, rather than leaving the decision to focus groups or broadcasters," the story said.
Among those pilots is "Alpha House" with John Goodman.
"I'm always worried I'm going to be in a YouTube video," Goodman reportedly said, again making the distinction between online OTT video and established IP video. "But this is the same as a TV set: full production values, great director, good technical people."
For more:
- Marketing Magazine had this story
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