Amazon

• Former Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins Exits Sony To Drive Amazon’s Digital Video Development
• Amazon Sets Cast For ‘Lord Of The Rings’ Series, Production To Start Next Month

  As production on Amazon’s highly-anticipated Lord Of The Rings prequel series is set to kick off next month -- with table reads in New Zealand already under way -- the streamer has announced the first wave of series regulars.

  
• Amazon Picks Up Critical Role’s $11.4 Million Kickstarter Series ‘The Legend Of Vox Machina,’ Orders A Second Season

  Eight months ago, the close-knit group of friends behind long-running Dungeons & Dragons web series Critical Role ran Kickstarter’s most-funded film project ever. They started with a $750,000 goal, hoping to make a 22-minute animated short film, but ultimately ended up raising $11.4 million, enough to produce a full season of 10 22-minute episodes.

  
• Amazon Launches Ad-Supported ‘News’ Video App With CBS, HuffPost, Cheddar

  Amazon has launched a news app on Fire TV devices --  appropriate dubbed News -- that will be free to watch and supported by ads.The customizable service enables users to watch content from multiple news providers in a single hub, the company detailed in a blog post.

  
• Amazon Pacts With Howard University On College Program To Diversify Entertainment Pipeline
• A Glitch Was Behind The Disappearance Of Amazon Prime Video From Apple TV, App Store
• Disney And Amazon Are Arguing About Ad Inventory, Which Could Delay Disney+ Arriving On Fire TV (Report)
• Insights: You Can’t Always Get The Bandwidth You Want, But You’re Probably Getting The Bandwidth You Need
• Amazon Names Aussie Newcomer First ‘Lord Of The Rings’ Cast Member
• Taylor Swift To Headline Amazon’s Prime Day Concert Livestream
• Insights: Never Mind Peak TV, Are We Headed To Peak Game Service?
• Amazon Taps ‘Game Of Thrones’ EP Bryan Cogman For ‘Lord Of The Rings’ Prequel