Brian Williams is appointed to lead election night broadcasts on Prime Video, potentially indicating Amazon's entry into the realm of live news coverage.
NBC News and MSNBC ex-anchor Brian Williams is close to finalizing a shocking agreement to head Amazon's Prime Video's election night broadcast, as per three individuals with inside information, kickstarting Prime Video's venture into live news.
The proposed live broadcast, presumedly during the year's most high-pressure news occurrence, would feature impartial analysis of election results featuring Williams and a crowd of contributors and guests.
For a night, if not more, Amazon might find itself in direct competition with heavyweights like CNN, ABC, CBS, and Williams' previous network base.
Amazon's election news strategy sparked a flurry of discussions in the television industry upon its initial revelation by Puck and Variety. Tech giants such as Amazon and Netflix have steered clear of news programming, expanding into sports and other realms instead. Is Amazon and billionaire founder Jeff Bezos considering a news network launch?
The sources confirm to CNN that they are not introducing a news network. (They requested anonymity since the Williams project hasn't been made public yet.) According to them, Amazon views the election stream as a singular live event, not as a signal of future plans.
"Amazon executives have informed us, 'We are not establishing a news operation,'" a talent agent not involved in the Williams deal clarified.
The cumbersome costs of news acquisition and the potential controversies tied to 24/7 coverage may deter a tech giant like Amazon.
Yet, news coverage can cultivate loyal bonds with huge audiences, especially during monumental events like a presidential election. Streaming platforms like Max (CNN's parent Warner Bros Discovery) and Hulu (ABC's parent Disney) offer live and on-demand news content from their journalistic outlets.
Election coverage is "a special occasion for Amazon, just like Thursday Night Football," one source explained. Amazon also broadcasts the Academy of Country Music Awards and recently inked a major $1.8 billion yearly contract to air NBA games starting the following year (WBD is currently suing the league over the contract.).
In the future, Amazon might potentially invest in live coverage of other significant news occurrences, although no concrete plans have been set.
Representatives from Amazon and Williams declined to comment.
The concept of a Tech Titan distributing its own election night TV program was almost unthinkable a decade back. It underscores the growing power of the tech industry and old-school television's eroding hold.
Williams, 65, a TV broadcasting veteran, spearheaded NBC's election night coverage in 2008 and 2012. The Amazon election event – yet to be named – will mark his initial major undertaking since leaving MSNBC three years ago.
Veteran NBC and CNN collaborator Jonathan Wald is set to executive produce the live stream, according to sources.
The election coverage will be organized in Los Angeles (contrasting with all the network specials based in New York and Washington) from Amazon MGM Studios' virtual soundstage.
Williams will anchor live well into the night as elections results unfold. If elections night evolves into something like election week, as it did in 2020, Amazon's live coverage's continuation remains uncertain.
One theory underlying the live event, as per the sources, is that audiences are welcoming alternative options to traditional political coverage. However, competition during elections night is fierce: Networks like CNN and NBC usually witness significant influxes of viewers. CNN broke streaming records during the so-called election week in 2020.
The shift towards Amazon's Prime Video venturing into live news, spearheaded by Brian Williams, could stir up some interesting dynamics in the media business, potentially challenging traditional news networks like CNN and NBC. Furthermore, the presence of veteran journalist Jonathan Wald as an executive producer for the event signals a serious commitment to high-quality media content.
