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Sony Reaches Preliminary Programming Deal With Viacom for Online Pay TV Service

This could be huge if they get access to the big sports channels here in the U.S.

ESPN, NFL Network, etc. HBO would be big too.


I'm stunned. Did people honestly think this wasn't gong to happen?

Eventually? Sure. I just didn't expect Sony to be ahead of the game on this right now.
 

Anth1888

Member
IPTV is still very niche in the UK with only YouView from BT and TalkTalk which launched 15 or so channels and BT Sport through fibre optic broadband.

I just hope Sony can manage to make a deal with Sky in the UK, hopefully Microsoft haven't got it exclusive again.
 

nib95

Banned
I'll believe it when I see it. Services that launch in only one region tend to take quite some time to spread out to other regions while they work on fixing the various problems. I'm not expecting it in the EU until 2015 at the very earliest and even then it will probably be a mere shell of what it will be like in the US at that point.

We'll see. My guess is fall 14 or early 15 for Euro. But better late than never right?

IPTV is still very niche in the UK with only YouView from BT and TalkTalk which launched 15 or so channels and BT Sport through fibre optic broadband.

I just hope Sony can manage to make a deal with Sky in the UK, hopefully Microsoft haven't got it exclusive again.

Sky didn't sign the deal with Microsoft..
 
Replace the word Sony with Microsoft and imagine how different the replies on here would be...

It's OK for Sony. They don't have a history of abandoning systems and first party development half way through the generation. Sony will continue to pump out great games as they have since their first entry into the gaming market. Same can't be said for MS.
 

Con_Smith

Banned
Replace the word Sony with Microsoft and imagine how different the replies on here would be...

Actually it would probably be the same. If they pushed this instead of chasing the traditional market than maybe their whole tv talk would have been easier to swallow.

This could be interesting going forward since Sony has more experience with tv shows than Microsoft I believe.
 
Read the article. Looks like they are going to try and make it a subscription service where you will access apps from each provider to access the streams. Seems really similar to the HboGo system on the 360 where you log in through your content provider and get access to the shows.

Seems interesting, but pretty much everyone will need to subscribe to their cable company or use an antenna to get anything local.
 
This could be huge if they get access to the big sports channels here in the U.S.

ESPN, NFL Network, etc. HBO would be big too.




Eventually? Sure. I just didn't expect Sony to be ahead of the game on this right now.

MS is likely in similar discussions. They already have apps/agreements in place with many of the channels under the Viacom banner.
 
Persecution complex much?

No, not at all.
Just pointing out the hypocrisy and putting things in perspective.

Back on topic...
It looks like the battle for "a la cart cable" is going to be segmented by different services which is unfortunate. I want everything in one place. I don't want to to have to sign up with Sony for Discovery and then have to sign up with Microsoft for ESPN, for example. In the end it could end up costing the same as cable and without local channels.
 

GribbleGrunger

Dreams in Digital
This could be huge if they get access to the big sports channels here in the U.S.

ESPN, NFL Network, etc. HBO would be big too.




Eventually? Sure. I just didn't expect Sony to be ahead of the game on this right now.

Wasn't there also rumours of Sony exclusive content for IPTV in the works, such as possibly the new RAC film?

I really did take it for granted it was the direction Sony was going. I've been talking about this for over two years with my friends and son.
 
I don't care because I don't watch TV and it won't be available here.

But it's interesting news none the less. Desperate Xbox fans thought deals like this would save XBO, but as this news illustrates, that will never be the case. The media partners will want to have their content available on as many platforms as possible. They have no incentive to go exclusively with Microsoft. And when Xbox will be more expensive than the PS4 and require an extra fee to access these services you already paid for, take a guess which of the two consoles causals would go for.
 

Ebomb

Banned
Read the article. Looks like they are going to try and make it a subscription service where you will access apps from each provider to access the streams. Seems really similar to the HboGo system on the 360 where you log in through your content provider and get access to the shows.

Seems interesting, but pretty much everyone will need to subscribe to their cable company or use an antenna to get anything local.


So pretty much the same thing as Xbox Viacom based MTV app? That isn't really IPTV then and instead is just another way to access cable content without a cable box. Disappointing.
 
No, not at all.
Just pointing out the hypocrisy and putting things in perspective.
Any Microsoft tv-related thread would be filled with negativity, check it out yourself if you have to. It's true.

Back on topic...
It looks like the battle for "a la cart cable" is going to be segmented by different services which is unfortunate. I want everything in one place. I don't want to to have to sign up with Sony for Discovery and then have to sign up with Microsoft for ESPN, for example. In the end it could end up costing the same as cable.

I don't think any content provider will go exclusive to any platform. Why not allow everyone to carry your programming as long as they provide you with an additional stream of revenue?
 

Zok310

Banned
Expected, tv entertainment is one of the thing Sony does best. So why the hell not combine that with PlayStation and just shoot for the stars.
 
So pretty much the same thing as Xbox Viacom based MTV app? That isn't really IPTV then and instead is just another way to access cable content without a cable box. Disappointing.

Well I wouldn't go that far. I was thinking more of a live streaming of the channel via the App in addition to the usual on demand stuff.

Sony Corp. 6758.TO -1.60% has reached a preliminary agreement with Viacom Inc. VIAB -1.61% to carry the media company's cable channels on its planned Internet-based TV service, a person familiar with the matter said, a significant boost for the Japanese company as it races to secure content rights against technology firms vying to offer similar services.

Sony plans to stream traditional cable channels as well as on-demand content over the Internet, posing new competition for cable, satellite and phone companies which have long sold subscription TV services.

Several other companies including Intel Corp. INTC -2.33% and Google Inc. GOOG -0.83% also are planning Internet-based TV services and have been on the hunt for programming rights. A Sony deal with Viacom, owner of MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central, would be the first major content deal for one of the new entrants to become public.

Spokesmen for Sony and Viacom declined to comment.

Sony must still finalize details of its preliminary deal with Viacom, the person said. Sony also has had discussions with major programmers including Walt Disney Co., Time Warner Inc. and CBS Corp., people familiar with the situation said. The status of those talks isn't clear.

Until now, big entertainment companies which own major networks have been reluctant to license their programming to so called "over the top" services, for fear of undercutting the lucrative arrangements they have with pay- TV operators. Contractual obligations with some pay-TV operators also make it difficult for some programmers to license their channels to new entrants.

While Intel has been public about its efforts, saying it hopes to launch service in at least some markets by the end of this year, Sony's plans have been shrouded in mystery.

A person familiar with the matter said Sony is hoping to launch its online pay-TV service by the end of the year. Initially, at least, the service is expected to be available via Sony's PlayStation gaming console—a new edition of which could be released soon—as well as Bravia high-definition TVs, but later will also work on other Sony devices including tablets and smartphones, the person said.

People who have seen demonstrations of Sony's system say it has some features that are appealing in comparison to traditional pay-TV distributors, including one that recommends shows for users based on what they've previously watched.

Content providers are allowed to supply some of those recommendations, so they can steer users to other episodes on their channels, according to the people familiar with the matter. Sony provides other content suggestions for viewers based on an algorithm.

—Keach Hagey and Daisuke Wakabayashi contributed to this article.
Write to Amol Sharma at amol.sharma@wsj.com and Shalini Ramachandran at shalini.ramachandran@wsj.com
 

Cmagus

Member
No, not at all.
Just pointing out the hypocrisy and putting things in perspective.
Any Microsoft tv-related thread would be filled with negativity, check it out yourself if you have to. It's true.

Back on topic...
It looks like the battle for "a la cart cable" is going to be segmented by different services which is unfortunate. I want everything in one place. I don't want to to have to sign up with Sony for Discovery and then have to sign up with Microsoft for ESPN, for example. In the end it could end up costing the same as cable.

Microsoft made it clear what their intentions were when they showed off their console to the world and talk about nothing but TV. It took outcry and dissatisfaction on a huge level for them to turn things around completely.

I'm sorry but Microsoft got what they deserved. When really all their new "TV" stuff is an over glorified picture in picture feature that my TV could do 4 years ago. Offering these services is fine for both platforms its the other TV stuff that isn't so hot on the Xbone.
 

Rebel Leader

THE POWER OF BUTTERSCOTCH BOTTOMS
Oh good, another US centric feature. First Gaikai and now this...

GG Sony.
Gaikai Servers:

gaikai_map_europe.jpg

In europe. US centric my ass
 

rjinaz

Member
Read the article. Looks like they are going to try and make it a subscription service where you will access apps from each provider to access the streams. Seems really similar to the HboGo system on the 360 where you log in through your content provider and get access to the shows.

Seems interesting, but pretty much everyone will need to subscribe to their cable company or use an antenna to get anything local.

I read the article and I didn't get this impression at all. Sounds to me like they plan to have their own subscription service, not have apps that require an already subscription from a cable company. The article even directly says this would be in competetion to cable. Not sure how you are reading it so differently than I am.
 
Replace the word Sony with Microsoft and imagine how different the replies on here would be...

no offense doun, i dunno why people still try to cover for m$..
frankly speaking they tried their play for power caressing publisher's ass languidly, suggesting that they could (sooner or later) block completely used game sales so all game sales go to publishers/console royalties, they tried to force a online connection for god only knows whatever reason oh and power of the cloud ololololol.. i'd love reading how they had planned to handle connection drop/packet loss/packet spike for their lovely "god ex cloud".. software architecture several magnitude less complex than a game have do deal with headache if they want to harness multiinstance architecture on cloud on a simple logic of active-passive or active-switch-onoverload.. yeah microsoft is a bigger player than your run out of the mill sw dev, but imagine a game that is running powered by the cloud, thus you gain say 3 time the computing power, then connection go bazinga.. yeah i can totally see the experience continuing seamlessy!!!

apart from the power of the cloud shit, the rest is just a play for power, a dice thrown when microsoft thought they could win.. they lost and they had to 180° turn on their policies.. Now they get the short end of the stick easily for
1) trying to get away with anti-consumer policies
2) trying to get consumer to think that these new "policies" were necessary
3) taking too long to say "sorry we were wrong"

The whole tv aspect is icing the cake, my guess is that even on neogaf if m$ did a so-so move they'd be criticized, not that they have motif not to be let me be clear..

Anyway roses are red, violets are blue and i'm going OT..

as i said, my main concern is if any player will let me watch nba and nfl (or nhl too, what do you know) and possibly register the match and replay later...
being in the eu, where these sports are not exactly loved or anything, i end up watching the us seasons, hence i download match and seem them in another allotted time :/
 

RetroStu

Banned
Microsoft made it clear what their intentions were when they showed off their console to the world and talk about nothing but TV. It took outcry and dissatisfaction on a huge level for them to turn things around completely.

I'm sorry but Microsoft got what they deserved. When really all their new "TV" stuff is an over glorified picture in picture feature that my TV could do 4 years ago. Offering these services is fine for both platforms its the other TV stuff that isn't so hot on the Xbone.

They talked about TV at the Xbox reveal (as they would) and haven't mentioned anything to do with TV since, literaly.
 
I read the article and I didn't get this impression at all. Sounds to me like they plan to have their own subscription service, not have apps that require an already subscription from a cable company. The article even directly says this would be in competetion to cable. Not sure how you are reading it so differently than I am.

My view was that they are going to try and create a centralized tv location where you can sign up and live stream as well as play on demand content from the providers. Think of it as combining all of the different content provider apps into one location, but you can also watch the TV live. Which sounds great in practice, but don't most people prefer to use on-demand/DVR? That's pretty much how I watch most of my TV.

In addition, I don't expect it to be all that cheap. If you want the content expect to pay more than you expect. It will likely be a separate fee outside of PS+. You will need to sign up for a bunch of providers to get your traditional TV service, unless you only like one provider.
 

model13

Member
Viacom doesn't interest me in slightest. Get a deal with Disney (specifically ESPN and ABC) and the Turner Family Networks and you will have my interest.
 

Myshkin

Member
When Microsoft was talking about doing this, where was the "tish tosh Sony will do the same thing" crew? I mean, we already knew that Sony would have no used games and other such trendy features pioneered by MS - why were we surprised by this? [everyone has same reaction]
 
LOL, you guys think Microsoft didn't think about this before ? MS actually wanted iptv on computers and anything they can imagine way before Sony.

Not sure that's gonna work other than Sony owned stuff like Sony Pictures, Columbia and TV shows like Breaking Bad.

I think iptv is definitly the future and i can't wait for that but i don't think Sony are gonna revolutionize the market with this because they can't make it happen. They have much more aggressive competitors like Apple, Google and MS who want a piece of that pie. It's just not working, yet.
 

rjinaz

Member
My view was that they are going to try and create a centralized tv location where you can sign up and live stream as well as play on demand content from the providers. Think of it as combining all of the different content provider apps into one location, but you can also watch the TV live. Which sounds great in practice, but don't most people prefer to use on-demand/DVR? That's pretty much how I watch most of my TV.

Yeah, actually that's what I do as well, I rarely watch anything live. But I'm also paying $100 for cable for those features. If it was cut down to say $20 and I still had on-demand, I could probably live without DVR
 

driver116

Member
When will people realize Sony has been at this LiveTV thing on consoles long before Microsoft?

Yup, I've been using PlayTV as my main TV service since 2009.

Hell, even a straight swap from terrestrial to IPTV would probably be seamless (granted a decent Internet connection).
 
Yeah, actually that's what I do as well, I rarely watch anything live. But I'm also paying $100 for cable for those features. If it was cut down to say $20 and I still had on-demand, I could probably live without DVR

I was actually expecting that both Sony and MS would let you sign into your cable account this generation (ie HBOGo) and access everything live. The interesting thing is that the cable providers are the ones providing the internet so if you drop their cable but keep the higher margin internet without having to pay the usage fees to the content providers they aren't too disappointed.
 
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