Live on Bloomberg TV

00:00--JOINING US NOW WITH MORE, IT IS NO SECRET THAT AMAZON HAS STRUGGLED WITH ITS STUDIO AND THE LEADERSHIP OF ITS STUDIO. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THESE POSSIBLE NEW ARRANGEMENTS? > > WHAT ME AND MY COLLEAGUE HAVE PICKED UP ON IN L.A. IS EARLY EXPLORATORY TALKS AMAZON'S HAVING WITH TWO STUDIOS, MAJOR STUDIOS, SONY PICTURES AND PARAMOUNT, WHICH IS PART OF VIACOM. BOTH ARE THE SMALLER OF THE BIG SIX IN HOLLYWOOD, AND THEY ARE THE ONES THAT STILL TAKE ON COFINANCING PARTNERS. THE LIKES OF DISNEY DON'T. AMAZON HAS HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM TO EXPLORE WHAT THEY CAN DO TO GET BIGGER, MORE EXCITING FILMS OUT TO THEIR USERS. ONE WAY THAT THEY MIGHT DO THAT IS BY COFINANCING FILMS, SEEKING A STAKE IN SOME OF THOSE POTENTIAL HITS. EMILY: SO, THE FINANCES OF THIS, HOW BIG A DEAL WOULD IT BE FOR A SONY OR A PARAMOUNT TO GIVE UP CERTAIN ONLINE RIGHTS TO AMAZON? OR IS IT ALL ABOUT EXTRA EXPOSURE? ANOUSHA: YOU KNOW, IT IS A TRADE-OFF FOR A FILM STUDIO. THIS IS WHERE SOME STUDIOS DO IT, SOME DON'T. SOMEONE LIKE SONY WOULD HAVE TO GIVE UP ANY POTENTIAL GAINS , SAY YOU SELL 25% OF THE FILM FROM AMAZON, YOU SPREAD THE RISK IF IT IS A BOMB, BUT IF IT IS A HIT, YOU GET 25% LESS PROFITS. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT POTENTIALLY SONY OR PARAMOUNT CAN'T AVOID, BECAUSE THEY NEED FUNDS. ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, IT WOULD BE A BOOST TO THE STUDIOS, MEANING THEY CAN GET MORE OF THE CONTENT THAT'S OUT THERE, MORE OF THE EXCITING IP UP FOR GRABS, AND COMPETE BETTER WITH THE LIKES OF WARNER BROS. AND DISNEY AND UNIVERSAL. BOTH OF THOSE, SONY AND PARAMOUNT, RANKED FIFTH AND SIXTH, SO THEY COULD DO WITH ANY HELP TO KIND OF GET THAT BOX OFFICE SHARE. EMILY: AMAZON HAS HAD MODERATE SUCCESS WITH ITS CONTENT, BUT CERTAINLY NOTHING ON THE SCALE OF NETFLIX. HOW MUCH DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE FACT AMAZON MAY BE STRUGGLING TO PRODUCE ITS OWN HIT CONTENT? ANOUSHA: ONE OF THE CAUTIONARY POINTS MADE TO US FROM OUR SOURCES IS THAT THE FISCAL EARLY DAYS -- THERE'S STILL EARLY DAYS IN THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE THE STUDIOS ALREADY HAVE OUT THE DEALS WITH THE LIKES OF STARZ AND EPIX. AMAZON STILL NEEDS TO FIND DIRECTION IN THE FILM UNIT, AND THIS WOULD PROBABLY BE PART OF THAT. THEY HAD GREAT RECOGNITION AT THE OSCARS FOR FILMS LIKE MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, BUT NO GAME OF THRONES-TYPE TV SHOW, NO BIG, AWARD-WINNING FILM THAT IS SEEN BY A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT PEOPLE REALLY LIKED. NETFLIX HAD THE DISNEY STAR WARS FILMS. WHILE THAT MIGHT BE TAILING OFF,

No schedule data available.

Amazon Said to Ramp Up Movie Content (Video)

Bloomberg Markets
"Bloomberg Markets" is focused on bringing you the most important global business and breaking markets news and information as it happens.
More episodes and clips