Amazon’s costs for video and music content last year hit $13 billion, up around 18%, representing a slowdown from its spending binge in 2020.
The ecommerce giant disclosed total video and music expense for 2021 in its annual SEC filing Friday. That total is compared with $11 billion the year prior, which was up roughly 40% versus 2019.
On Thursday, Amazon announced a rate hike for its Prime membership program in the U.S., which is rising from $119 to $139 per year (up 17%), citing its stepped-up investment in “high-quality digital entertainment,” including TV and movies. Overall for Q4, Amazon missed Wall Street estimates on revenue but blew past earnings forecasts.
Amazon’s total video and music expense includes licensing and production costs associated with content offered on Prime Videos, and costs associated with digital subscriptions and sold or rented content.
