Amazon Wants to 'Revolutionize Prime Video' With Live TV Channels

It looks like Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) wants to make its Prime Video service more like traditional cable TV. The company is adding live TV channels to the video-streaming service, according to Protocol's insider sources and Amazon's public job listings.

What's new?

Amazon is "actively pursuing" content deals with providers of live programming. "You should assume they're talking to everybody," Protocol's unnamed insiders said.

The claim is supported by several active job listings where Amazon looks for software developers and product managers with experience from the linear TV industry.

"Linear (24/7 Television or broadcast programming) is one of the key options for Prime Video customers. Although video on demand is on the rise, the global viewing hours weigh in favor of live or scheduled TV and OTT linear streaming is predicted to grow by 64% in the next two years," the job ads say. "Having one foot in the now, and one foot in the future, you will help invent new ways for customers to explore our catalog of Linear TV content."

Most video-streaming services focus exclusively on on-demand content but this isn't Amazon's first swing at live TV services. Prime Video offers a selection of live-streaming news channels through an app for Amazon's Fire TV devices, and premium cable additions to the Prime Video service such as Showtime and HBO include live-streaming channels as well.

The job listings describe Amazon's live TV ambitions as "next-gen," "best-in-class," and "revolutionary."

This article originally appeared in the Motley Fool.

Anders Bylund owns shares of Amazon. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon and recommends the following options: short January 2022 $1940 calls on Amazon and long January 2022 $1920 calls on Amazon. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.