Amazon Prime Video announced Monday that it is broadening its news offerings by introducing on-demand short-form clips covering both local and national stories. The new content will initially appear on televisions and other living room devices before rolling out to the web and Prime Video’s iOS and Android applications.
Users will find these segments within the News destination of the Prime Video app, specifically in the Trending Topics and Local News carousels. They supplement the platform’s existing local, national, and international news coverage provided by major media outlets, which remains accessible to all U.S. users regardless of Prime subscription status. While Amazon confirmed the mobile content would be classified as short-form, it has not yet specified whether the videos will be formatted vertically.
The move signals Amazon’s attempt to compete with platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where younger demographics frequently consume news. According to Pew Research, Gen Z users often prefer short-form news creators and influencers on social apps because the content feels organic rather than over-produced. Amazon lacks a dedicated social network, so it is integrating short-form video directly into Prime Video to attract this audience.
Prime Video follows a growing industry trend, as Peacock, HBO Max, Netflix, and Disney+ have all recently launched short-form video features in 2026. These updates reflect a broader shift in streaming strategies to cater to viewers seeking entertainment in bite-sized segments rather than long-form programming.
Isn’t this just another distraction? I miss when Prime Video was actually about movies and series, not news clips.
Will these be vertical or horizontal? TikTok habits are hard to break. Hopefully they get the format right.
Smart move by Amazon. Gen Z doesn’t watch TV the way we do, so this is the only way to stay relevant.