Freevee, Amazon’s free ad-supported streaming service, is being shut down.
Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Amazon plans to fold the platform into Prime Video, with Freevee executives expected to be integrated into various divisions within the company. Freevee’s programming will still be available at no charge for users who don’t subscribe to Prime Video (which is included with an Amazon Prime membership).
“To deliver a simpler viewing experience for customers, we have decided to phase out Freevee branding,” Amazon said in a statement. “There will be no change to the content available for Prime members, and a vast offering of free streaming content will still be accessible for non-Prime members, including select originals from Amazon MGM Studios, a variety of licensed movies and series, and a broad library of FAST channels, all available on Prime Video.”
Freevee began its existence as IMDb TV and changed its name in April 2022 to better distinguish it from its association with the online database, also owned by Amazon. The platform’s demise comes about 10 months after Prime Video launched an ad tier (which is the default for users) in late January, having previously been an ad-free SVOD platform. Prime Video users now have to pay an additional $3 per month to go ad-free.
The launch of Prime Video’s ad product, along with Freevee programs being readily available on Prime, may have made Freevee redundant.
Amazon had already been exposing Freevee originals to its Prime Video subscribers, including breakout Jury Duty and Bosch: Legacy. Content also flowed the other way, with Freevee streaming more than 100 Amazon originals including A League of Their Own and The Wheel of Time.
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