Key Takeaways
Amazon Prime recently announced its planned coverage of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
Election Night Live will feature expert commentary, real-time poll analysis, and contributions from across the political spectrum. This is the first time Amazon Prime will feature political coverage.
The event will be hosted by veteran news anchor Brian Williams, who rose to prominence as a news anchor at NBC and later MSNBC and has years of experience covering U.S. elections.
Williams played a significant role in MSNBC’s election night broadcasts, leading the network’s coverage of the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. Four years later, he will reprise a similar role at Amazon.
“After 41 years in the business—from local news to network shows to cable news—this feels like the next big thing,” Williams said. “The global marketplace of Amazon is a natural home for this first-of-its-kind venture,” he added.
Amazon’s decision to launch a live election night special through its streaming service could be a game-changer for the American news industry.
While Amazon Prime Video streams several live news channels, including ABC News Live, CBS News 24/7, CNN Headlines, LiveNOW from FOX, and NBC News Now, this is its first in-house production of a major political event.
The rise of streaming platforms has led to shifting trends in how viewers consume content. With legacy networks already on the back foot, Amazon’s Election Night Live could erode cable news’ dominance in real-time political coverage.
As more people cut the cord and opt for streaming services as their primary media source, Amazon is positioning itself as a serious contender for audience attention on election night.
Amazon’s Election Night Live is billed as a non-partisan broadcast featuring real-time poll results, political analysis, and insights from various guest commentators.
Amazon said the program will reference data from third-party news organizations across the political spectrum in order to maintain objectivity and provide viewers with a broad view of the election results.
The event will be available in most countries where Prime Video is available, even for viewers without a Prime membership.