Why Amazon is buying MGM for $8.5 billion

In early 2017, Jeff Bezos gathered executives from his Hollywood division, Amazon Studios, and told them, “I want my Game of Thrones.” The chief executive officer was frustrated. The team was developing niche programming like the gender identity drama Transparent and the retro-feminist comedy the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. They lacked the kind of mainstream appeal that might introduce wider audiences to Amazon.com Inc.’s streaming service, Prime Video—and by extension, to its Prime subscription and expanding e-commerce empire.

Read the rest of my analysis of the deal at Bloomberg.com.