Amazon Music is making a bigger push into video podcasts.
Starting Wednesday, users will be able to watch video podcasts within Amazon Music from hosting providers including Triton Digital’s Omny Studio and Flightcast, with shows from SiriusXM, Megaphone, and Libsyn expected in the coming months. This will include shows such as Hey Jonas!, Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb, Pro Football Talk Live with Mike Florio, and Solved with Mark Manson with more to come from iHeartMedia, SiriusXM, Spotify, NBC Sports, and Headgum.
After first bringing video podcasts to U.S. subscribers in May, Amazon Music is also now expanding video podcasts to customers in Canada, the UK, Mexico, Brazil and Japan. The company has also added monetization capabilities for video podcasts on the platform, which allows creators to insert video ads into their shows, while also keeping existing brand sponsorships and baked-in ads. ART19, owned by Amazon, was the first hosting provider distributing video podcasts on Amazon Music.
The move comes as many platforms are making big moves into video podcasting, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, as well as Netflix, as they follow consumer interests and also seek to compete with the behemoth of YouTube.
“Industry data confirms what our customers have been telling us — they want the flexibility to watch their favorite podcasts, in addition to listening. As video consumption continues to grow, we’re constantly looking for ways to expand our offerings for customers to engage across formats. By working with leading podcast publishers, we’re bringing the top video podcast shows to customers across the US, Canada, UK, Mexico, Brazil, and Japan — spanning true crime, breaking news, celebrity interviews, and more. Just as importantly, we’ve built this in a way that lets creators keep full ownership of their hosting, ad inventory, and audience monetization,” said Shea Simpson, Head of Spoken Word for Amazon Music.
Shows that were a part of the original launch in May included Higher Ground’s IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson, Khloé in Wonder Land, Not Skinny But Not Fat, and Let’s Be Honest with Kristin Cavallari, as well as titles from Wondery, owned by Amazon, including New Heights, Armchair Expert, The Oprah Podcast and more.
