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Amazon issues statement on rumours it's removing thousands of free TV shows and films

Home> Entertainment> TV

Published 09:33 22 Feb 2024 GMT

Amazon issues statement on rumours it's removing thousands of free TV shows and films

The media giant has had its say on growing internet rumours

Tom Earnshaw

Tom Earnshaw

It's been a good few weeks since Amazon introduced the controversial decision to bring in ads to Prime Video.

And users of the service have been up in arms again this week over fresh rumours it's now removing a free service where you can watch thousands of TV shows and films without charge.

Adverts in the UK were introduced to Amazon Prime Video at the beginning of February in a move that didn't go down too well with subscribers.

Costs remain the same if you accept the ads, setting you back £8.99 a month.

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But it's an extra £2.99 if you choose to get rid of the advert breaks, which has annoyed some people.

Amazon said the move was necessary to 'allow us to continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time'.

Now, just a few weeks later, the latest rumour is that Amazon is set to take another move in a blow to users.

According to AdWeek, Amazon is planning to 'sunset' its free, ad-supported service that offers you thousands of free movies and television programmes regardless of if you pay for Prime Video or not.

Freevee comes separately to Prime Video.
Mateusz Slodkowski/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

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But in Layman's terms, it means Amazon is reportedly set to put a slow end to the service, commonly known as Amazon Freevee.

The service has tonnes of great content, including Parks and Recreation, Madmen, The West Wing, Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2, Donnie Darko, The Road, and Jackie Brown.

Reports claim the service will end before the summer is over, with one source telling AdWeek: "If the question is whether or not Amazon will persist with two stand-alone streaming services.

"I’m certain the answer is no."

You might know Amazon Freevee by another name, with it rebranded from IMDb TV in April 2022.

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An example of how the Amazon Freevee app looks on your TV.
Amazon

But Amazon has now spoken out about the rumours and has been quite to the point on the matter.

A spokesperson said: "There are no changes to Freevee.

"Amazon Freevee remains an important streaming offering providing both Prime and non-Prime customers thousands of hit movies, shows, and Originals, all for free."

Despite Amazon's rebuttal of the rumours, insiders have said the company has been laying the foundations for the eventual end to Freevee for some time.

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Freevee has, for Amazon, been utilised to try and upsell Prime Video subscriptions to those who use the free-to-air service.

Social media commentary has been mixed, with some not able to understand why Amazon would ditch the service.

Amazon has shut down the Freevee rumours.
Nathan Stirk/Getty Images

One said: "It honestly wouldn't make sense for Amazon to exit the FAST (free, ad-supported streaming) space at a time when it's looking to become an ever bigger ad market giant.

"Could Freevee get (another) new name or exist only in the Prime app? Sure! That'd make sense. Full retreat? Why?"

Featured Image Credit: Mateusz Slodkowski/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images/Nathan Stirk

Topics: Amazon, Amazon Prime, TV and Film, Money, Jeff Bezos

Tom Earnshaw
Tom Earnshaw

Tom joined LADbible Group in 2024, currently working as SEO Lead across all brands including LADbible, UNILAD, SPORTbible, Tyla, UNILAD Tech, and GAMINGbible. He moved to the company from Reach plc where he enjoyed spells as a content editor and senior reporter for one of the country's most-read local news brands, LancsLive. When he's not in work, Tom spends his adult life as a suffering Manchester United supporter after a childhood filled with trebles and Premier League titles. You can't have it all forever, I suppose.

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@TREarnshaw

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