Amazon today announced the launch of Amazon Channels in the U.K. and Germany.
Amazon Channels is a hub for Prime members to add subscription video services. Amazon Channels available in the U.K. will include Discovery, Eurosport Player, ITV Hub+, hayu, MUBI, BFI Player, MGM, Hopster, Shudder and Heera, Amazon’s recently launched Bollywood channel. In Germany and Austria, Amazon Channels will make available Arthouse CNMA, E! Entertainment HD, Kixi Select, MGM, MUBI, sportsdigital HD, Studio Universal Classics and Syfy Horror.
Amazon Channels offers a single log-in for all services available and, for many services, it also offers downloads to allow users to view content offline.
“For the first time, Prime members in the UK and Germany will be able to choose to watch premium TV channels without having to sign up to a bundle or a contract, giving them the freedom to pay for only what they want to watch,” said Alex Green, managing director in Europe for Amazon Channels, in a statement. “From live sport to Bollywood, arthouse cinema to reality TV, and award-winning TV shows from popular channels like Discovery and ITV, Amazon Channels gives power back to customers to choose exactly what they want to watch.”
“We are delighted to bring our premium factual and sports content to Amazon Prime members. This partnership underlines our strategic ambition to reach people across every screen. Amazon Prime members can now experience the shows that are loved by Discovery fans as well as enjoy an exciting summer of sport which is about to kick off on the Eurosport Player,” said Susanna Dinnage, president of Discovery Networks UK, in a statement.
RELATED: Amazon Channels launches branded Bollywood SVOD in U.S.
The international expansion for Amazon Channels comes shortly after the company launched its first two branded channels, Heera and Anime Strike.
Michael Paull, former vice president of digital video for Amazon, recently told FierceBroadcasting that the strategy for Amazon Channels is expanding a bit now that it’s more than one year into its launch.
“Our goal is to become a destination for video programming,” said Paull. “We want to have the most possible selections we can have.”