Amazon is looking to expand its live coverage offerings beyond football games and concerts with a surprise deal that will see former NBC News and MSNBC anchor Brian Williams lead election night coverage on Amazon’s Prime Video. The proposed live-stream event will provide in-depth analysis of the election results with a wide array of contributors and guests. This move would put Amazon in direct competition with traditional news networks such as CNN, ABC, and CBS, as well as Williams’ former network home.
Despite the speculation about Amazon potentially building a news network, sources insist that the tech giant is not looking to establish a permanent news operation. They view the election coverage plan as a one-time-only live event rather than a signal of future intentions. The costs associated with newsgathering and the controversies that come with 24/7 coverage may be deterring factors for Amazon. However, live news coverage, especially during special events like a presidential election, can create loyal bonds with audiences, as seen with other streaming platforms promoting on-demand news content from their parent journalistic outlets.
Amazon’s approach to election coverage is compared to its coverage of special events like Thursday Night Football and the Academy of Country Music Awards. The company recently secured a major deal to carry NBA games and could potentially invest in coverage of other major news events in the future. The idea of a tech giant distributing its own election night TV show highlights the growing power of the tech industry and the shifting landscape of traditional television. Williams, a veteran of broadcast TV, will anchor the Amazon election event, which will be produced in Los Angeles from Amazon MGM Studios’ virtual soundstage.
The live coverage will extend well into the night as election results come in, but it remains to be seen if it will continue if the election night extends into election week. The competition on election night is fierce, with networks like CNN and NBC attracting huge influxes of viewers. While some viewers may be open to new options and alternatives to traditional political coverage, the challenge for Amazon will be standing out in a crowded field of established news networks. With Jonathan Wald, a seasoned veteran of NBC and CNN, executive-producing the live stream, Amazon is making a bold foray into live news coverage while maintaining that this endeavor is a special event rather than a permanent shift in their programming focus.
