Newly surfaced Amazon.com job postings provide some interesting clues about the company’s push into original programming.
An Amazon unit called the People’s Production Company, an extension of its crowd-sourced Amazon Studios initiative, is seeking creative executives to develop half-hour comedy and kids shows “for online and traditional distribution.”
As noted by AllThingsD’s John Paczkowski, that reference to traditional distribution is an interesting hint about Amazon’s ambitions in the space, potentially referring to regular television channels and networks.
GigaOM has additional details on the job posts.
Amazon’s Instant Video streaming service competes with the likes of Netflix and Hulu, both of which are creating their own shows. Amazon is banking on Amazon Prime subscriptions (which include streaming movies) and digital content sales to help make up for the low $199 price of the Kindle Fire tablet.
Amazon Studios has so far focused primarily on feature films. In December, Amazon hired Hollywood producers to work on three movies that have emerged from its public development process, which enlists aspiring screenwriters, artists and filmmakers to compete for prizes.
The company recently awarded $1 million for “best test script of the year” to a project called 12 Princesses, a family friendly musical; and $100,000 for best script to Origin of a Species, a thriller.
