The Prime Instant Video website shows 446 A&E seasons available, largely reality shows like “Dance Moms,” “Hoarders,” “Project Runway,” “Storage Wars” and “Pawn Stars.” Most of them aren’t available through Netflix streaming, though Netflix retains some older Biography shows.

Amazon Prime Instant Video is available to Prime members who pay $79 a year for unlimited two-day shipping and other perks. The company says Prime Instant Video now includes over 33,000 movies and TV episodes, while Netflix has an estimated 60,000 streaming movies and episodes.

The use of “rich media” in ad campaigns is hardly novel at this point. But with companies like Gannett’s PointRoll and Interpolls, which worked on the Lifetime campaign, gaining traction, the use of rich media as opposed to “static” banner ads is likely to become more prominent as online ad spending comes back. Online video ads will play a larger part of that. According to the last eMarketer forecast, spending growth for online video will run in the 34 percent to 54 percent range between last year and 2014 — growing from $1.4 billion in 2010, to $5.2 billion in 2014.

Ironically, iPad users who visit MyLifetime.com cannot watch full episodes of Project Runway on the device, since the videos there only support Adobe Flash — which is notably absent from the Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) system.

Instead, iPad users will have to turn to sites running the Project Runway ad. The ad will be running on iPad enabled web pages belonging to TVGuide.com, TV.com, Buzznet.com, OK Magazine.com, Just Jared.com, People.com and TheSocialiteLife.com.

Roiworld.com, which Lifetime acquired last year, says it is the first time it has promoted e-commerce for a designer. What makes this interesting is that Kamali isn’t selling virtual goods in Roiworld.com — which is what brands like K-Swiss and Rocawear have done in the past — the designer is using the game as a platform to sell real clothes. What’s not clear is if the deal will be a financial boon to Roiworld.com as well, since Lifetime would not comment on whether it gets a retail sales rev-share.

Currently, Hearst and Disney each hold 37.5 percent of AETN while NBCU has 25 percent, while Hearst and Disney each own 50 percent of Lifetime. In the new arrangement, NBCU would continue to be the minority member but its stake shrinks while Hearst and Disney grows because of Lifetime. (A source familiar with the situation tells me the new split is 42.5 percent each for Disney and Hearst and 15 percent for NBCU.) Another Disney-Hearst JV — the 80-20 split of ESPN — is not involved.

AETN President and CEO Abbe Raven will serve as head of the combined company once the deal closes, which is expected later this year. Lifetime Entertainment Services President and CEO Andrea Wong will continue to head Lifetime, reporting to Raven. Release.

Best twist in all this? The Weinstein Co.’s Project Runway ends up with NBCU again.

Unlike the broadcast nets, which usually post episodes online the day after a premiere, Lifetime will wait until Saturday mornings — after the Thursday night premiere and the Friday night encore. The ad-supported episodes will be available on demand online at the same time as they show up in cable operators’ video on demand queues, removing one area of possible contention. Another difference: if you want to watch Project Runway online (legally), you’ll have to go to MyLifetime.com. No syndication. No season pass on ITunes. No downloads. The same strategy will be followed for new show Models of the Runway. Available episodes will include the current show and the last four to air.

Lifetime Digital’s Dan Suratt explains: “I think what it really goes to is we firmly believe in the power of our site to drive people to our channel and that’s what we use it for.” He thinks that helps account for a relatively high completion rate: delivery of all five segments per show to online viewers of hit Army Wives has gone as high as 84 percent. Suratt understands Zucker’s point about not streaming shows like Runway: “If we felt in any way it was not reinforcing the ratings, it would be a different conversation.”

What is an issue is how well the show will translate after its long hiatus and the move away from Bravo, where it was surrounded by a lot of simpatico programming. The network irked TV critics by failing to trust them with who didn’t make the cut in the premiere review version but has fared well so far with fan sites. In the end, the viewers have to feel that the only major change is an address, while Lifetime has to make the most out of this chance to continue a brand transformation. The online video streaming is part of a bigger strategy, says Suratt: “What can we do to make sure this product is as well received as it was historically. We have the ability to make that available, to create that awareness.” Other elements:

– Community: While Bravo did a good job of building community, Lifetime Digital is taking it a step further with something called the Project Runway Buzz Room. The aptly named Buzz Room, developed by Room 214, will aggregate all the public Twitter and Facebook API feeds plus posts from show designers and models, past contestants, and “key” sites/bloggers like Project Rungay. Users can log in with Facebook Connect or Twitter and can integrate posts in the Buzz Room with either.

– Gaming: Lifetime Digital acquired virtual dress-up site Roiworld and launched a new gaming studio late last year. Each week, a Project Runway dress-up game will get new clothes based on designs from the show. But Lifetime doesn’t have exclusive gaming rights, which may explain why there’s no King.com skill-based game being announced now to go with the new partnership the two just started.

– More video: Streaming replays aren’t the only video. Lifetime is promising 500-plus “exclusive clips” that go behind the scenes, videos from host Tim Gunn, video of everything judges Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Michael Kors and guest judges say to each designer every episode, vlogs by designers, models and guest judges, and more.

The Hearst-ABC joint venture already hosts hundreds of downloadable and online games aimed at women under the tag “games women play.” RealNetorks’ RealArcade syndicates to Lifetime, which also sells Real’s GamePass. Some games are directly tied to Lifetime programming — a hidden object game developed by Merscom for Blood Ties sold more than 100,000 units. (A Merscom exec told MediaPost the return on investment was about $500,000.) The Lifetime Digital sites had 3.7 million monthly uniques in May, according to comScore (NSDQ: SCOR) Media Metrix.

Roiworld founder Kiseo Kim will head the new studio as CEO, extending Roiworld and developing new games. Kris Soumas, head of Lifetime Games, adds the new venture to her portfolio. Plans call for integrated ad packages and micro-transaction technology, in addition to more social networking.

It’s the company’s second digital acquisition. The first was ParentsClick in August for a price we reported at about $10 million. But gaming already plays a significant role for Lifetime, with Lifetime Games as the leading content section for myLifetime.com. Lifetime partners with RealNetworks (NSDQ: RNWK) on casual online and downloadable games from Real Arcade, promoting titles and sharing revenue. Lifetime Games also has published its own games with partners. Downloadable game sales were up 100 percent for 2007 over 2006 and the company says growth is still strong in 2008.

A promo of the upcoming site should go live this morning. Tag line: Dress Up Games Are About To Grow Up. Lifetime promises 1,000-plus “fashion and style” games. It’s all about digital escapism, giving women an excuse to play with virtual “paper dolls” and share the results. The same kind of games could be used to promote Lifetime shows — giving the Army Wives makeovers, for instance — but Soumas says that’s not the initial intent.