A tier with ads is reportedly being added to Prime Video

In order to expand its advertising business, Amazon intends to introduce a paid tier of its Prime Video streaming service.

Tens of thousands of people were laid off as a result of cost-cutting reviews conducted across the company's businesses, which led to the discussions, which the people said are in the early stages and have been ongoing for several weeks.

Amazon has continued to grow its advertising business despite macroeconomic difficulties. In the first quarter, the company's ad revenue increased by 21% year over year to $9.5 billion. According to Insider Intelligence, the company comes in third place behind Google and Meta in terms of digital ad revenue in the U.S. 

Advertisers claim they are eager for Amazon to launch an advertising tier for its Prime Video service, following similar actions taken by Netflix and Disney. Ad buyers specifically state that they want more access to expensive films and television shows that have largely remained ad-free, as this type of content frequently generates more buzz. 

The National Football League's "Thursday Night Football" games are among the live sports events available on Prime Video, which is accessible to all customers who pay the $14.99 monthly fee for Amazon's Prime membership or $8.99 per month on its own. Original shows like "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" are among the offerings, in addition to a sizable library of films and television shows. 

More ad-supported content is currently being added to Prime Video by Amazon. It runs advertisements during its sports coverage, and some of its programs feature product placement. Content from Freevee, Amazon's free ad-supported video service, is also accessible through Prime Video.