IMDb Launches Freedive- An Ad-Supported Free Video Streaming Service

cageymaru

cageymaru

Fully [H]
Joined
Apr 10, 2003
Messages
21,914
Amazon owned IMDb has announced the launch of its ad-supported free video streaming service called Freedive. Freedive will be available to all IMDb visitors regardless of using a laptop, desktop, or Amazon Fire TV device. The initial lineup of content includes free TV shows such as Fringe, Heroes, The Bachelor and Without a Trace as well as top Hollywood hits like Awakenings, Foxcatcher, Memento, Monster, Run Lola Run, The Illusionist, The Last Samurai, True Romance and more without purchasing a subscription. When nostalgia inspired me to watch Quantum Leap, I was greeted with a sign in page that required an IMDb login, Amazon, Facebook, or Google account.

"Customers already rely on IMDb to discover movies and TV shows and decide what to watch," said Col Needham, Founder and CEO of IMDb. "With the launch of IMDb Freedive, they can now also watch full-length movies and TV shows on IMDb and all Amazon Fire TV devices for free. We will continue to enhance IMDb Freedive based on customer feedback and will soon make it available more widely, including on IMDb's leading mobile apps." On Fire TV, simply say "Alexa, go to Freedive," to immediately access, browse and enjoy free movies and TV shows.
 
Is this another wrapper around Prime streaming? Do they offer different content? Confused.
 
I also am confused. Why even do this when there's Prime? I mean they own IMDB sooooo........
 
For the same reason any one company owns a quarter of all similar brands. To "diversify" by adjusting the variables in one revenue stream to maximize sales without disrupting another. To appear as competition and pick up all those disappointed customers from their other service. To saturate the market with choices and increase the likelihood of landing a new customer. To get around licence restrictions for competing studios or to avoid mixing focal media or even media quality. I mean, there's loads of reasons, but none are particularly honest.
 
Amazon is ramping up its advertising business. I heard Jim Cramer talking about this in a recent Mad Money show. He was also thinking all of the Echo's out there are going to be a massive launchpad for ads.
I might need to consider getting me some AMZN...
 
Hatriot said:
Is this another wrapper around Prime streaming? Do they offer different content? Confused.
Click to expand...
Its a completely free ad-supported service. With Prime you have to pay a monthly or yearly fee. IMDb Freedive is completely free.

As others said, this doesn't blur the lines between the services as I doubt all of the Prime offerings are on Freedive, and it gives Amazon another revenue, tracking, and more service. You know it has to track you in some way. Its free. Not saying it is evil. :)
 
cageymaru said:
Its a completely free ad-supported service. With Prime you have to pay a monthly or yearly fee. IMDb Freedive is completely free.

As others said, this doesn't blur the lines between the services as I doubt all of the Prime offerings are on Freedive, and it gives Amazon another revenue, tracking, and more service. You know it has to track you in some way. Its free. Not saying it is evil. :)
Click to expand...

I am not sure why I am paying for the Prime "offerings" because there is very little content I find on there and it seems to be getting worse every year. When I first signed up for it many years ago there were tons of Disney channel shows for kids now all seem to be gone as one example. I know Disney probably had something to do with that, but you would think Amazon would attempt to find a replacement to maintain the value of the product. The prime originals seem to have stagnated.

Guess what I don't understand is the different branding? Why not call it AmazonFree or something that is used to then advertise for Prime? Just seems disjointed unless maybe his soon to be ex wife is asking for her own streaming channel.
 
The service is limited to US users only which is pretty lame. I might try it again through VPN.
 
DF-1 said:
didn't realize amazon owned imdb.
Click to expand...
Ditto but I stopped visiting the site for the last year or so since they completely removed the Forums feature. You literately cannot reply to comments, talk to other people or engage in any meaningful way. You can create reviews but nobody can even say "Thanks! Oh and this is why that plot hole you were complaining about is not acutally a plot hole."

I can't even imagine [H]ardOCP choosing to get rid of the forums and comments on every news post and expect users to continue to use the website. No idea what Amazon was thinking.
 
My question is, "How many ads?" I recognize that ads support the creation of content, but I think cable television has sorta done the 'boiling frog' experiment on us as far as ad density. I can't stand commercials.


P.S. And hey, I already watched all the ads for the creation of 'Gilligan's Island' when I was a little kid, so I shouldn't have to watch any ads for the reruns, right? I mean, I already did it, I watched all their ads when they made the show, so I should be able to watch without ads now, right? Amirite?
 
B00nie said:
The service is limited to US users only which is pretty lame. I might try it again through VPN.
Click to expand...
Isn't everything these days? I stopped trying all streaming services as you get a fraction of the content if you live outside the US, for the same price.

And I'm not going to bother with a VPN, I might as well torrent the shows then, as they consider it equally illegal to use VPN to access geolocked content. That's like paying twice for pirated stuff at that point. Once for the VPN and once for the streaming service.
 
GSDragoon said:
Fringe is a great show. Might have to rewatch it now.
Click to expand...
It's probably my favorite series of all time, just edging out Breaking Bad. I'll glad binge on Fringe (heh) for the third or fourth time on IMDB.
 
Rahh said:
I also am confused. Why even do this when there's Prime? I mean they own IMDB sooooo........
Click to expand...

"ads"

Also the streaming services seem to have new, current stuff or crap. Basically they have a little A material and jump to C material. There's no space for B material. There's little in the way of good movies that are maybe old or medicre movies that are still fun to watch. I found myself finding some of that on Tubi.tv or Roku's own free channel. Because they're not new or awesome or watching them is not an 'event', people tolerate ads more.

Amazon doesn't want the idea of "ads" being associated with Prime. At least for the moment.
 
Cool. I've always wanted to watch Heroes and Fringe so I'll endure the ads.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top