Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Amazon Opens Up To Video Creators, Takes On YouTube

Seattle-based Amazon.com has taken a step into the territory of YouTube, saying today that it has opened up a new program called Amazon Video Direct, which will let video creators upload their own videos as part of Amazon Prime. According to Amazon.com, the new service will let users rent out or sell their content, or make that content free to view with ads. The new service is initially available in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, and Japan. In a bid to boost participation in the program, Amazon.com said it would also launch a program called AVD Stars, where it will split one million dollars a month between video creators, based on customer engagement with those videos.