Amazon Picks a Big Fight With Netflix

(Bloomberg Gadfly) -- Amazon wants to unseat Netflix, the reigning champ of streaming video. And it's taking Prime Video global to do so. The two TV and movie services have been duking it out over customers and original content for years, but Amazon's new expansion raises the stakes. Earlier this year, Netflix expanded its streaming video around the world and has been burning cash to make it profitable.  Amazon, on the other hand, is flush with cash thanks to its other operations, including Amazon Web Services, which generates huge operating margins. That gives Amazon the ability to ramp up -- and will force Netflix to make sure it has a strategic sequel or two in store.

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To contact the author of this story: Rani Molla in New York at rmolla2@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Timothy L. O'Brien at tobrien46@bloomberg.net.