IMDb TV
IndustryEntertainment
FoundedJanuary 11, 2019
HeadquartersSeattle, Washington, US
Area served
United States
United Kingdom
ParentAmazon
WebsiteIMDb TV

IMDb TV is an American ad-supported video on demand streaming service owned by Amazon. The service first launched in January 2019 as IMDb Freedive.[1]

History

IMDb TV launched as a free, ad-supported video channel by the Amazon-owned online database IMDb in January 2019, under the name IMDb Freedive. The free video on demand (VOD) service was available on both Amazon and IMDb's websites as well as on all Amazon Fire devices.[2]

On June 17, 2019, IMDb Freedive announced its rebranding to IMDb TV, confirming it would triple its content selection. Signing new deals with Warner Bros., Sony Pictures Entertainment and MGM Studios, the streaming service offered new content.[3]

The rebranding was set to further ramp up Amazon's ad-supported video strategy, with brands like AT&T, Procter & Gamble, Verizon and PepsiCo running 15- and 30-second advertisement spots within IMDb TV's movies and shows.[4]

Amazon announced that it would be moving IMDb TV's content team to within Amazon Studios on February 20, 2020, with the goal of developing original programming under new IMDb TV co-heads.[5]

In September 2021, Amazon announced they will expand the service in the United Kingdom, but it is available for members and non-members of Amazon Prime, with its access on their Prime Video app. The UK version of the service will not include UK made originals unlike to Prime Video who has UK-produced originals exclusively.[6]

Content

Original programming

Main article: List of IMDb TV original programming

A reboot of the 2008 crime drama series Leverage was ordered by IMDb TV, making it the first major original series for the streaming service.[7]

On October 3, 2019, IMDb TV announced it licensed the Canadian animated series Corner Gas Animated as a branded original series, joining the live-action comedy franchise Corner Gas and the feature film Corner Gas: The Movie, which were both on the streaming platform.[8]

IMDb TV acquired the rights to Eleventh Hour Films and Sony Pictures Television's young-adult espionage series Alex Rider, which premiered on the streaming platform on November 13, 2020.[9]

On October 29, 2020, Amazon announced Amazon Studios would produce the successor program to Judge Judy, entitled Judy Justice, for the service. Production on Judy Justice began as CBS's long-running Judge Judy ended on July 23, 2021.[10] Judy Justice is slated to premiere on IMDb TV on November 1, 2021. With significantly high stakes in the program, Amazon has ordered 120 episodes for the first season alone, the largest initial order package for a streaming series. Amazon has bargained on Sheindlin to attract her legion of viewers and fanfare from Judge Judy over to their streaming service for Judy Justice.[11]

On February 22, 2021, it was announced that Norman Lear had set up two projects at IMDb TV, half-hour long comedy Clean Slate and hour long drama Loteria.[12]

Third-party content

IMDb TV announced it would begin streaming the NBC show Chicago Fire on December 6, 2019, making the deal the biggest single licensing pact to date for the streaming service. In addition, IMDb TV announced it would also begin streaming all five seasons of Universal Television's Friday Night Lights starting on December 31, 2019.[13]

In February 2020, IMDb TV acquired the rights to more than twenty scripted TV titles controlled by Disney's Direct-to-Consumer & International Division.

IMDB TV began streaming several Star Trek films in June and July 2020.

Starting July 15, 2020, IMDb TV began streaming all 92 episodes of the AMC series Mad Men after completing a licensing deal with Lionsgate.[14][15]

References

  1. ^ "Amazon's IMDb launches a free streaming service, Freedive". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  2. ^ Brantner, Chris. "IMDb Freedive: A Look at Amazon's Free Streaming Service". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-10-08.
  3. ^ "Amazon Rebrands IMDb Freedive as IMDb TV, Triples Content". PC Magazine. Retrieved 2020-10-08.
  4. ^ "Amazon Ramps Up Ad-Supported Video, With Implications For Competitors". eMarketer. Retrieved 2020-10-08.
  5. ^ Low, Elaine (2020-02-20). "IMDb TV Moves Content Team to Amazon Studios Under New Co-Heads". Variety. Retrieved 2020-10-08.
  6. ^ Middleton, Richard (2021-09-29). "Amazon launches AVOD streamer IMDb TV in UK". TBI Vision. Retrieved 2021-10-06. UK originals are not included on the launch slate but the AVOD streamer has been expanding rapidly, with the aforementioned US commissions joining series including Leverage: Redemption, a Bosch spinoff, the second season of Alex Rider and comedy series Sprung.
  7. ^ "Leverage is returning as IMDb's first original series". Critical Hit. Retrieved 2020-10-08.
  8. ^ "IMDb TV Gets Top-Rated Canadian Animated Series – Media Play News". Retrieved 2020-10-08.
  9. ^ Kanter, Jake (2020-07-14). "'Alex Rider': Amazon Streamer IMDb TV Takes U.S. Rights To Sony Spy Series". Deadline. Retrieved 2020-10-08.
  10. ^ Frankel, Daniel (29 October 2020). "Judge Judy Sheindlin Gets New Show on Amazon's IMDb TV". Next TV.
  11. ^ Spangler, Todd (September 9, 2021). "Judge Judy Sheindlin's Courtroom Show on IMDb TV Gets Premiere Date". Variety. United States.
  12. ^ https://deadline.com/2021/02/norman-lear-two-projects-imdb-tv-laverne-cox-george-wallace-comedy-clean-slate-1234698386/
  13. ^ Spangler, Todd (2019-12-06). "Amazon's IMDb TV to Stream 'Chicago Fire' Past Seasons, 'Friday Night Lights' for Free (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2020-10-08.
  14. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (2020-07-01). "'Mad Men' Rights Sold To Amazon/IMDb TV Globally, AMC & Starzplay In Complex Licensing Deal Made By Lionsgate". Deadline. Retrieved 2020-10-08.
  15. ^ Thorne, Will (2020-07-01). "'Mad Men' Sets Streaming Pact With Amazon, Starzplay and AMC". Variety. Retrieved 2020-10-08.
Categories