Which cable networks Amazon has added for Prime customers and what that means for TV
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Molly Driscoll Staff writer
More options than ever are available for TV fans who don鈥檛 want to pay for a traditional cable package.
Amazon has announced that members of their subscription Prime service will now be able to access the content produced by such premium cable channels as Showtime and Starz, in addition to the content from HBO already on the service.
And the move makes Starz the latest cable network to become available to so-called 鈥渃ord-cutters.鈥�
Like rival HBO, Showtime had already launched a stand-alone streaming service to which users can subscribe without buying a cable package.
Showtime produces such acclaimed programming as 鈥淗omeland鈥� and 鈥淭he Affair,鈥� while Starz is the home of shows like 鈥淥utlander鈥� and 鈥淔lesh and Bone.鈥�
Networks are getting in on stand-alone services, too. CBS has launched CBS All Access, which is based on the same idea. The network announced that it鈥檚 planning a new 鈥淪tar Trek鈥� series that will air on CBS All Access.聽Meanwhile, NBC is planning a streaming service called Seeso that will center on the network鈥檚 comedy, including original shows. NBC was home to such 鈥�90s hits as 鈥淪einfeld鈥� and 鈥淔riends鈥� and more recently was the hub for programs like 鈥淭he Office,鈥� 鈥�30 Rock,鈥� and 鈥淧arks and Recreation.鈥�
AMC is one of the few acclaimed TV destinations that has not yet launched a stand-alone streaming service. Their programs 鈥淏etter Call Saul鈥� and 鈥淢ad Men鈥� and PBS鈥檚 鈥淒ownton Abbey鈥� are the only nominees for last year鈥檚 best drama Emmy that cannot be watched online. The rest came from Netflix, Showtime, or HBO, all of which TV fans can now watch without owning a traditional TV.
It seems inevitable that just about every broadcast or cable network would begin exploring some kind of streaming stand-alone option, particularly if efforts like CBS鈥檚 All Access original programming succeed.
