Amazon is reportedly preparing to wind down its original advertising supported service, Freevee, after advertising on Prime Video became the standard offer.
Adweek reported Wednesday that the closure of the service was part of a broader effort to focus its advertising and product efforts on Prime Video and quoted multiple sources.
“If the question is whether or not Amazon will persist with two stand-alone streaming services,” one person familiar with the situation told Adweek, “I’m certain the answer is no.”
The exact date for the change is not known, but is likely to be in the second quarter ahead of the NewFronts, when US broadcasters set out their programme strategy for the US advertising community.
Freevee, which Amazon rebranded from IMDb TV in April 2022, has been a free ad-supported alternative to Prime Video, without the need for a subscription. It has featured shows that premiered on Prime Video, and its own originals such as Bosch: Legacy and the reboot of the Australian soap Neighbours, which received significant publicity.
A spokesperson for Amazon insisted there was no change to its offer: “Amazon Freevee remains an important streaming offering providing both Prime and non-Prime customers thousands of hit movies, shows, and Originals, all for free.”
The parcels to entertainment company introduced ads for basic Prime Video subscribers on January 29, but unlike other streamers all subscribers will have ads as part of their viewing experience unless they pay a new $2.99 monthly premium.
It is also differentiating itself by removing Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos from Prime Video.