Amazon Announces New Streaming Partners Program, Gives Creators Platform to Share Their Own Content

Amazon has just taken a major step forward in the world of digital media content providers with the announcement of Amazon Video Direct, a new video sharing program that offers independent creators and storytellers the chance to make their own work available to Amazon’s entire customer base as part of Amazon Prime.

Through the program, content creators can upload their videos and earn royalties based on the hours their content gets streamed. Users can also make their creations available to be rented or owned and to be watched free with ads. Artists can also package these features together, and offer them as an add-on subscription.

The self-service program gives users access to Amazon’s tens of millions of customers, the ability to choose how they share their titles, and the chance to make their work available to international users where Amazon Video is already available. In addition, they’ll receive support for every Amazon Video supporting devices. That includes Fire TV, Fire and other iOS and Android tablets, connected TVs, game consoles, iOS and Android phones, as well as laptops.

Amazon Video Direct also has a feature that allows content makers to view their performance metrics. If you choose to use the add-on subscription of Amazon’s larger Streaming Partners Program, you’ll be able to monitor data like the number of minutes a title was streamed, your projected revenue and payment history, and the number of subscribers you have. This allows the program’s participants to evaluate how well they offer and promote their own content, and find betters ways to reach a wider or more specific audience.

In a statement about the launch of Amazon Video Direct, Vice President of Amazon Video Jim Freeman expressed the company’s excitement over entering this specific sector of the video-sharing market.

“It’s an amazing time to be a content creator,” said Freeman. “There are more options for distribution than ever before and with Amazon Video Direct, for the first time, there’s a self-service option for video providers to get their content into a premium streaming subscription service. We’re excited to make it even easier for content creators to find an audience, and for that audience to find great content.”

Amazon also launched the AVD Stars program today, which will see Amazon distributing a monthly bonus from the company’s one million dollar monthly fund to creators on top of any revenue already earned. The bonus distribution will be based on the list of Top 100 AVD titles in Prime Video, and will make be delivered for the first time based on streaming activity from June 1 to June 30.

Artists and content creators already using AVD to make their titles accessible in Prime Video will automatically be enrolled in the Stars program.