Amazon now offers standalone access to nearly 20 streaming channels including Showtime and Starz

[Shawn Knight]

Amazon Prime is a bit more versatile today thanks to the Streaming Partners Program, a new service that allows Prime members to subscribe to nearly 20 standalone streaming channels including Showtime and Starz at a discounted rate.

The over-the-top streaming subscription service is a win-win for all parties involved. Video providers have access to what Amazon describes as a highly engaged streaming audience while viewers have yet another option to manage their streaming subscriptions. What's more, Amazon offers free trials on all subscriptions, IMDb X-Ray integration, unified search and a single watchlist across all subscriptions.

Initial launch partners include A+E Network (Lifetime Movie Club), AMC (Shudder and SundanceNow Doc Club), Gaia, RLJ Entertainment (Acorn TV, Urban Movie Channel, Acacia TV), DramaFever (DramaFever Instant), Tribeca Short List, Cinedigm (Dove Channel, Docurama, CONtv), Smithsonian (Smithsonian Earth), IndieFlix (IndieFlix Shorts), Curiosity Stream, Qello, FlixFling (Cinefest, Nature Vision, Warriors and Gangsters, Dox, Monsters and Nightmares), BroadbandTV (Hooplakidz Plus), DEFY Media (ScreenJunkies Plus), Gravitas (Film Forum, Daring Docs, Fear Factory) and Ring TV Boxing in addition to the aforementioned Showtime and Starz.

I checked the rates and terms of several offers and found that free trials typically range from seven days to 30 days with pricing varying anywhere between $2.99 on the low end up to $8.99 per month.

The overwhelming majority of initial offerings aren't all that appealing outside of Showtime and Starz but at least the options are there. With any luck, we'll see more well-known names join the fray in the coming weeks and months.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/63076-amazon-now-offers-standalone-access-nearly-20-streaming.html

 

[Uncle Al]

It's a good start at a more than fair price. They do need to expand into some markets that are more well known and desired including Education Television, the major network feeds, and tap into some of the local channels. Once they can do that, the big boys are going to have to come up with an ala-cart system or simply slip away. We can only hope!

Anyone seen a good side by side comparison to the various streaming options out there? That would be a great article for one of the TECHSPOT folks to create and maintain!

 

[RustyTech]

Apart from really new shows, still can't even come close to Netflix's value.

 

[DavDaddy]

I hope they offer AHC (formerly Military channel.) It's the one of like 3 channels I really miss with my current DirecTV package.

No matter how hard I try I just can't justify shelling out an extra $40 a month for 3 channels.

 

[wiyosaya]

I hope they offer AHC (formerly Military channel.) It's the one of like 3 channels I really miss with my current DirecTV package.

No matter how hard I try I just can't justify shelling out an extra $40 a month for 3 channels.

I agree on price. For the channels in the picture, if the min is $2.99, that would be $36/mo for all of them, but I know not all channels are available at $2.99 mo. I have OTA, Netflix, Hulu, and Prime right now, and there is so much programming that I find interesting already I am having trouble finding the time to watch it all. My plans are to drop Prime when my subscription runs out.

With each of these streaming services that pop up, I cannot help but think that they are all attempting to get in on the fad and make tons of money, but, from my standpoint, the reason I dropped Dish and went to streaming is to get away from paying large fees for what I do watch. Without prime, I'll be down to $20/mo + $35/mo for internet. With Dish, I was paying $87/mo + $42/mo for internet.