Walmart's Amazon Envy: Retailer Lays Groundwork for New Streamer

The Arkansas-based retailer is expected to spend a couple billion dollars to launch its service.

More than a few TV sellers have been angling for a meeting with former Epix CEO Mark Greenberg since the The Wall Street Journal reported July 28 that the executive was consulting with Walmart on a prospective subscription video platform.

The retailer has yet to make the rounds with its vision for the type of ?content it could bring to ?its streamer — and may not until it has a top programming executive in place, a ?position that one agency source says Walmart is seeking to fill. Although it is still early, Hollywood observers say Walmart has been considering streaming play for several years, and another insiderincome of 72 cents a share and had $7.9 billion in cash.

The launch of a subscription service would give Walmart entree into the small but growing club of Hollywood outsiders now looking to use media as a way to boost their businesses. Amazon was one of the first to make the move with the launch of its Prime Video product, which offers unlimited streaming of licensed and original fare to people who already pay more than $100 per year for free shipping on products like toilet paper.

Apple has also begun to invest heavily in programming as it begins to build up its yet-to-launch video product, and Facebook has rolled out community-driven original projects via its Watch video tab. Notably, the last major retailer to signal a plan to