What does over $10 billion in annual spending on content get you?

...44 Emmy wins if you're Netflix, but not a single trophy if you're Amazon Prime Video!

Although Netflix may have comfortably outstripped Amazon Prime Video at this year's Emmy awards picking up 129 nominations in addition to its 44 wins, against 47 noms for Amazon without a single win, the future still looks bright (and more than likely profitable) for Amazon as it continues to expand its Amazon Prime Video complimentary offerings.

Not only did Amazon announce its entry into the TV set business earlier this month, a move which will enable them to sell customers their own device via their own e-commerce platform to watch their own content, but Amazon continues to grow its live sports audience, in contrast to Netflix which has not yet entered the sports broadcasting arena, but over the summer refused to rule out the possibility of acquiring and broadcasting live sports programming. 

Although Amazon remains tight lipped about their Prime Video viewing figures, they did confirm that their live broadcast of young tennis star Emma Raducanu's recent remarkable US Open run, which culminated in the Brit's thrilling final victory, delivered their highest viewing numbers for a live tennis match. Coupled with Amazon's continued UK broadcast of 20 live Premier League matches this season, and their anticipated $2 billion a year bid for Sunday Night NFL rights in the US, Amazon's broad investment in differing forms of television content looks likely to continue notwithstanding Emmy awards disappointment.

As for Netflix, award wining shows don't necessarily translate to subscriber growth - stock of the world's biggest streaming platform declined over the summer (although it has now rebounded) following news of poor subscriber growth in Q2 2021 where they registered their smallest quarterly subscriber increase since 2013. 

Whilst Amazon may be reaping the rewards of diversifying their Prime Video offering with more sports content, Netflix continues to invest heavily in film and television series, as evidenced by their recent acquisition of the rights to Roald Dahl's classic children's books for an estimated £500 million, handing the streamer a free rein to exploit the author's extensive catalogue through further film and TV spin-offs.