Amazon snags streaming rights to action series '24'

Amazon announced Tuesday it had secured the online streaming rights for the US action hit "24" starring Kiefer Sutherland.

The online giant said it struck a deal with Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution to be "the exclusive online-only subscription home for streaming all 192 episodes of the award-winning series."

The news comes with Amazon ramping up its battle against video giants like Netflix and Hulu. Amazon is set to announce an update for its video offerings on Wednesday.

The program with Sutherland as agent Jack Bauer won a Golden Globe and an Emmy. It ran eight seasons, with each episode depicting a 24-hour period in which Bauer races against the clock to thwart political assassination attempts and multiple terror plots.

Amazon this week also announced it was adding six original programs to its video service, including its own science fiction TV series and detective program based on writings of best-selling crime author Michael Connelly.

© 2014 AFP