[(Title)] Amazon plots the launch of free TV channels: Online giant's new threat to ITV and Sky

Amazon is plotting a fresh attack on traditional broadcasters with the launch of free channels on its Prime Video service.

亚马逊正在策划对传统广播公司发起新的攻击，其基本视频服务免费频道已经启动。

In a move that could put it in direct competition with commercial broadcasters ITV, Sky and Channel Four, it would offer programmes at no cost, potentially funding them through adverts.

此举可能直接与ITV、Sky和F4频道的商业广播公司竞争，它可以免费提供节目，并可能通过广告为其提供资金。

Its plan emerged in a job advert for a new London-based 'head of free to air TV and advertising'.

它的计划出现在一个工作广告中，新的总部位于伦敦。

Currently Amazon offers a TV service through its website, which is available to its Prime members who pay £79 a year to access thousands of shows and films.

目前，亚马逊通过其网站提供电视服务，每年支付79英镑，以获取数以千计的节目和电影。

Through Prime, customers can access other channels as add-ons, such as HBO, Discovery and Eurosport, as well as more niche offerings such as Horse & Country Play.

通过Prime，客户可以进入其他渠道，如HBO、发现和Eurosport等附加渠道和更为专业化的产品。

There is also a small number of free channels, such as ITV Hub, supported by adverts. Amazon says it now wants to expand the number on offer, possibly by striking agreements with broadcasters across Europe.

还有少量的免费频道，如ITV Hub的广告支持下，亚马逊说，现在它希望通过与整个欧洲的广播公司签订协议，扩大报价的数量。

The move marks a major step in the company's ambition to make more cash from advertising.

此举标志着公司从广告中获取更多现金的雄心壮志迈出了重要一步。

And analysts say it paves the way for a showdown with traditional broadcasters over who deals with advertising clients and gets the biggest slice of revenues.

分析人士说，这为传统广播商与客户打交道并获得最大收入份额的问题铺了道路。

So far Amazon has featured only a limited number of commercials on Prime. A major target for adverts is thought to be the rights it has bought to 20 Premier League football games next year.

到目前为止，亚马逊在Prime上只播出了少量广告，据信广告的主要目标就是明年它购买的20场英超足球赛。

Netflix has become the most viewed channel in America, research has found.

研究发现,Netflix已经成为美国最受欢迎的渠道.

Wall Street analysis firm Cowen & Co said 27 per centof adults said they used the service 'the most often' to watch content on television.

华尔街分析公司Cowen & Co.说，27%的成年人表示，他们使用这项服务“最常用”是观看电视上的内容。

About 20 per cent said they used cable, followed by traditional broadcast at 18 per cent and YouTube at 11 per cent.

约20%的受访者表示使用电缆，其次是传统广播18%，YouTube为11%。

In the UK, video streaming is now estimated to account for 16 per cent of all TV set activity.

在英国，视频流化目前估计占电视系列活动总数的16%。

Tom Harrington at Enders Analysis said: 'Amazon has offered its channels service for a while but what this would do is expand their offering.

“Enders Analysis”的汤姆.哈林顿(Tom Harrington)表示：“亚马逊已经为其提供渠道服务，但这样做是为了扩大他们的服务。

'They will likely be looking to strike more partnerships across Europe with free-to-air broadcasters.

他们会期待在欧洲与空对空广播公司建立更多伙伴关系。

'The next obvious step would be for Amazon to then deal with the advertising end of things, selling the ads that appear alongside content that appears on Prime.

亚马逊接下来显然会处理广告，销售广告与Prime上出现的内容并列。

'But broadcasters like ITV, the BBC and Channel 4 are very worried about the growth of Amazon and Netflix and they will not want to run the risk of giving up their relationships with advertisers.

但ITV、英国广播公司(BBC)和Channel 4等广播机构对亚马逊和Netflix的成长非常担忧，他们不愿冒着与广告客户失去关系的风险。

'I imagine they will be reticent about the prospect of any deals like that, even though it could be easy money at a time when revenues are under pressure.'

我想他们会对类似的交易前景保持缄默。

Amazon declined to comment on the job advert or the rumours of a free service. However, chief executive Jeff Bezos has said he sees the Prime Video service as a way of boosting sales.

亚马逊拒绝评论这份工作广告或关于免费服务的谣言，但首席执行官杰夫.贝佐斯(Jeff Bezos)表示，他认为，Prime视频服务是推动销售的一种方式。

In 2016 he said: 'When we win a Golden Globe, it helps us sell more shoes. Because if you look at Prime members, they buy more on Amazon than non-Prime members.

2016年，他说：“当我们赢得金球奖的时候，我们就可以卖出更多的鞋子。因为你看看Prime，他们在亚马逊买的鞋就比非Prime多多了。"

'A lot of their behaviours change in ways that are very attractive to us as a business.' Amazon's results for the three months to March 31 this year revealed it made £1.5billion from advertising – more than double during the same period the previous year.

亚马逊今年3月的结果显示，广告收入为15亿英镑，比上一年同期增加了一倍多。

At this week's annual meeting of ISBA, which represents British advertisers, , Sky UK boss Stephen van Rooyen claimed he did not see online video services such as Amazon and Netflix as a threat but as potential partners.

在本周举行的代表英国广告商ISBA年度会议上，Sky英国的老板范鲁昂(Stephen van Rooyen)表示，他并不认为亚马逊和Netflix等在线视频服务是一种威胁，而是潜在合作伙伴。

He said: 'Our job is to bring customers choice. So if Netflix brings thousands of hours of content to our customers then we are happy about that.'

他说：“我们的工作就是给客户带来选择。所以如果Netflix给客户带来上千小时的内容，我们就对此感到高兴。”