Amazon’s LOVEFiLM Bulks Out Its Kids’ Corner With Teletubbies & Other BBC Worldwide Shows

Natasha Lomas

Natasha is a reporter for TechCrunch, joining September 2012, based out of London. She arrives after a stint reviewing smartphones for CNET UK and, prior to that, more than five years covering business technology for silicon.com (now folded into TechRepublic.com). At silicon she focused on mobile and wireless, telecoms and networking, and IT skills issues, and has also freelanced... → Learn More

Friday, March 22nd, 2013
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Teletubbies Lovefilm

Amazon’s on-demand video streaming service, LOVEFiLM Instant, which competes with Netflix in the U.K., is continuing to build out its children’s content corner, today inking a content licensing deal with BBC Worldwide to license a range of children’s content for streaming.

The newly licensed content from BBC Worldwide, available to stream immediately, includes The Story of Tracy Beaker, pre-school show Teletubbies, family drama The Sarah Jane Adventures and the interactive live-action show Balamory. Details of the number of shows licensed have not been disclosed.

The content deal is just the latest between LOVEFiLM and BBC Worldwide. Last month the pair beefed up their content partnership, adding a variety of drama series and factual programming including Top Gear. Announcing that agreement with the BBC’s commercial arm, Jim Buckle, MD at LOVEFiLM, said in a statement: “We kicked off 2012 by announcing a new deal with BBC Worldwide and it is great to see-in 2013 by adding to that agreement.”

LOVEFiLM Instant has previously licensed children’s content from the likes of Aardman, eOne, DHX Media, Disney and Saban Brands. The deal with DHX Media added 2,000 children’s shows to its UK catalog.

Building out rich kids’ offerings is a key strategy for on-demand streaming services, as they seek to make themselves indispensable to the parents who pay for the service.


Company: LOVEFiLM
Website: lovefilm.com
Launch Date: 2003

LOVEFiLM is an Amazon company and is the leading European film subscription service with over 2 million members in the UK, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway In February 2011 LOVEFiLM was acquired by Amazon EU SARL LOVEFiLM members can enjoy the benefits of DVDs delivered straight to their door with LOVEFiLM By Post and streaming films online via LOVEFiLM Instant LOVEFiLM Instant is available on over 200 Internet-enabled devices including PCs, PlayStation®3, iPad®, Xbox 360, plus a growing number of Blu-Ray players...

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