*By Carlo Versano* Walmart, the world's largest retailer, is making a big play to get into content. The company this week announced a partnership with movie studio Metro Goldwyn to create video for its nascent Vudu platform. The deal will also give Walmart access to MGM's vast IP catalog. It coincides with another announcement from the retailer of a joint venture with Eko, an interactive video company, to create content for Vudu and its website. But does this mean Walmart ($WMT) wants to go toe-to-toe with Netflix? Not necessarily, said Business Insider's Kate Taylor. "It's not clear if they want to compete in the same way" with companies like Netflix ($NFLX), Hulu, and Amazon ($AMZN), which all pour billions into original content. Instead, Walmart's strategy appears twofold. One: create an "ecosystem" for customers that builds loyalty (similar to Amazon Prime) and "gets people to shop at Walmart more," Taylor said. The company would probably be fine with losing money on content if that material boosts sales at stores, she added. Secondly, Walmart wants to produce material that appeals to families and customers who might not be interested in many of the edgy, high-brow shows being developed on the major streaming platforms. "I don't think Walmart's going to go for that," Taylor said. "It's definitely \[for\] a different market." The first programming to come from the MGM ($MGM) partnership has already been announced ー a digital series reboot of the 1983 Michael Keaton comedy film "Mr. Mom." That's an indication to Taylor that the strategy is to target families and rural viewers ー not the critics or the "coasts." Vudu is ad-supported. It's unclear if Walmart plans to add a subscriber component to it, but Taylor said it's more likely the MGM content will be free with ads. Walmart suggested the MGM deal was part of a plan to prop up the struggling Vudu platform ー which only averaged 2 hours of watching time per household in [January](https://talkbusiness.net/2018/07/new-reports-suggest-walmart-may-seek-to-compete-in-video-streaming-market/), far less than Netflix, at 25 hours, and Hulu with 30. But analysts don't expect the retail giant will wade too far into content production. Walmart bought Vudu in 2010 for a reported $100 million. For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/how-will-walmarts-original-content-compete).

Share:
More In Business
Poll: More Americans think companies benefit from legal immigration
A new poll finds U.S. adults are more likely than they were a year ago to think immigrants in the country legally benefit the economy. That comes as President Donald Trump's administration imposes new restrictions targeting legal pathways into the country. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey finds Americans are more likely than they were in March 2024 to say it’s a “major benefit” that people who come to the U.S. legally contribute to the economy and help American companies get the expertise of skilled workers. At the same time, perceptions of illegal immigration haven’t shifted meaningfully. Americans still see fewer benefits from people who come to the U.S. illegally.
Tylenol maker rebounds a day after unfounded claims about its safety
Shares of Tylenol maker Kenvue are bouncing back sharply before the opening bell a day after President Donald Trump promoted unproven and in some cases discredited ties between Tylenol, vaccines and autism. Trump told pregnant women not to use the painkiller around a dozen times during the White House news conference Monday. The drugmaker tumbled 7.5%. Shares have regained most of those losses early Tuesday in premarket trading.
Load More