Amazon and Netflix continued to build up their streaming libraries on Monday, adding new content from Disney-ABC like Grey's Anatomy and Brothers and Sisters.
The deals apply to both companies' streaming products, Amazon Prime instant video and Netflix Watch Instantly.
"We are excited to add some of the very best content available from Disney-ABC to Prime instant video," Brad Beale, director of video content acquisition for Amazon, said in a statement. "We're working hard to add even more selection for Kindle Fire customers and Prime members leading up to the holidays, and expect to have nearly 13,000 titles available in Prime instant video by early next year."
Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet is set to be released on Nov. 15 and buyers will get one month of free access to Amazon Prime, which normally runs $79 per year.
"Disney and ABC have been and continue to be an innovative and supportive partner for Netflix. The diverse but always excellent programming from the different channels and networks are favorites of our members and we are thrilled to broaden the scope and extend the terms or our relationship," said Ted Sarandos, chief content officer at Netflix.
So what can you expect to see on Netflix and Amazon?
Amazon: Prior seasons of Grey's Anatomy; all episodes of Lost; prior seasons of animated series Phineas & Ferb; prior seasons of The Secret Life of the American Teenager, including episodes aired this summer; prior seasons of Marvel's animated shows Spider-Man, X-Men Evolution, Thor & Loki: Blood Brother, and Iron Man: Extremis; all episodes of ABC Family's Greek; and all episodes of Felicity.
Netflix: Prior seasons of Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, and Private Practice; all episodes of Lost, Brothers & Sisters, and Ugly Betty; prior seasons of Army Wives; ABC Family series like The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Melissa & Joey, and Make It or Break It; Disney Channel content like Phineas & Ferb, Good Luck Charlie, The Suite Life on Deck, and Hannah Montana. Netflix also promised new content like ABC Family's Switched at Birth, Disney Channel's Kick Buttowski, and all episodes of ABC's Alias.
Netflix has had ABC content for some time; it added earlier episodes of Grey's Anatomy, Lost, and Desperate Housewives back in 2009, and expanded that relationship in December 2010.
Netflix has had a troubled few months. The company irked customers over the summer by announcing plans to split its DVD and streaming plans and charge $7.99 for each service, raising the price of accessing both from $9.99 per month to $15.98 per month. Later, Netflix said it would split those businesses entirely and call the DVD rental business Qwikster, but backlash prompted the company to abandon those plans. "Qwikster became the symbol of Netflix not listening," Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said during a recent earnings call.
That mistake cost the company approximately 800,000 customers during the quarter. Can new content on Watch Instantly help win them back? Or will customers move to Amazon Prime, and log on with their newly acquired Kindle Fire tablets? Time will tell. For more, see Netflix Ditches Qwikster: What You Need to Know.
DVD rental rival Redbox, meanwhile, recently announced a small price hike—from $1 to $1.20 per rental—and Congress is apparently to blame.