If it’s on Amazon Prime, it can’t be anywhere else. That’s the message Amazon is proclaiming as it prepares to pull Doctor Who from its collection. The show, along with most of the BBC’s programs, will no longer be available for streaming starting on February 15th.
Amazon’s licensing deal with the BBC thus far hasn’t allowed for exclusivity, meaning BBC shows on Prime Instant Video could also be shown on other subscription services such as Netflix. As The Verge notes, the removal of Doctor Who and others is a rather bold move that shows how serious Amazon is about making its streaming service distinct from its competitors. In the immediate future, the company wants it so that if you are watching something on Amazon Prime, chances are you won’t be able to watch it anywhere else.
Whether the change will translate into better Amazon Prime sales remains to be seen, but it looks as though the company knows what it’s doing — membership grew over 53% last year.
