So, in streaming news this week there’s been a whole lot going on! It's essentially been streaming wars between the three major players.  Netflix may end up having to surrender its crown as everyones favourite streaming service, now that both Amazon Prime and Yahoo are both hot on its heels.

Chelsea Handler Netflix dealChelsea Handler is allegedly in negotiations to sign a deal with Netflix

Amazon Prime has recently come to an agreement with HBO, making HBO shows including The Sopranos and The Wire available to stream for US customers. The licensing agreement means that Amazon Prime customers will be able to stream previous seasons of popular shows such as Veep and Girls three years after their original airing. The service will become available from from 21 May and will allow users unlimited access to shows.

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The news comes around the same time as Yahoo’s announcement they they plan to produce two original comedy shows (how very Netflix-esque!), both of which will feature actors from NBC’s The Office, which finished in May 2013. The shows, which will be called The Other Space and Sin City Saints, will become available in 2015 on Yahoo’s video streaming service, Screen.

Yahoo has also unveiled plans to team up with Live Nation to show a live music concert each day for several years. The show will also include behind-the-scenes segments, interviews and featurettes before and after the concert. Michael Rapino, CEO of Live Nation, explained, “We plan on making money on this channel, as does Yahoo; we know advertisers are going to be oversubscribed.”

The deal between Yahoo and Live Nation is part of Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer’s design to compete with Google’s streaming service YouTube. Mayer seems intent on overtaking Google and has been fiercely fighting to gain rights to various shows for Yahoo Screen, including original Katie Couric interviews and episodes of Saturday Night Live.

Katie Couric YahooYahoo CEO Marissa Mayer is looking to gain rights to original Katie Couric interviews for Screen

Now is a crucial time for the development of online streaming services, particularly since consumers are spending more and more time streaming shows and movies off the internet. Many now opt to stream straight from the internet onto their television sets, so streaming companies are in heated competition to provide the best service. With the recent release of the Amazon Prime Fire TV box, Netflix, Yahoo and Amazon look set to be aggressively competing to outdo each other in all respects. 

Do you subscribe to an online screening services?  Have the latest developments encouraged you to rethink which provider you are currently signed up to, or compelled you to sign up for the first time?

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