The sky may be falling at Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX), as at least one more competitor stalks the streaming video space, but over at Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN), things appear to be sunny with its Prime Instant Video play, which Wednesday announced an expanded licensing deal with PBS Distribution to allow members to instantly stream, at no additional cost, current and archived PBS programming.
The deal includes more than 1,000 episodes from shows such as NOVA, Antique Roadshow, Frontline, and Washington Week. Of note, the new catalog includes 200 episodes of the French Chef with Julia Child.
Amazon has had a deal with PBS since it launched last year.
Prime members get unlimited, commercial-free, instant streaming as a value added feature with a $79 annual Amazon Prime membership, which gives subscribers unlimited two-day shipping from Amazon.com.
When the PBS episodes become available later this year, Prime members will have access to more than 12,000 commercial free movies and TV shows, more than double what was accessible when Prime instant videos launched less than one year ago.
Amazon already has licensing deasl in place with CBS, NBCUniversal, Fox, Sony Pictures Television, BBC, PBS, National Geographic, Magnolia Pictures, IFC Films, Egami Media, Vivendi Entertainment, New Video Group, Fred Rogers Company, Strand Releasing, Music Box Films, Film Movement, Reel Media and Sesame Workshop. Content can be streamed to more than 300 devices including connected TVs, PCs and Macs, the Kindle Fire and more.
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