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Potentially big news

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324823804579014901418093422.html

Sony Corp. has reached a preliminary agreement with Viacom Inc. 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.

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

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.

search title through google if you cannot access article because of not being a subscriber and click through that way

 

[Crimson_Gold]

This could be interesting. Would allow me to cut cable as long as I get the sports channels that I need. I also want HBO dammit

 

[Mashin Haters]

wow i would have thought the xbox 360 would do this first since thats what microsoft have been talking about past 2 years

 

[guek]

Oh dear God yes

 

[BadWolf]

Very nice.

 

[Mokubba]

Sony Too!™ is now appropriate

 

[AstroNut325]

WOW! I seriously thought MS would have went after something like this! Amazing if they pull it off. I welcome the multimedia functionality in the PS4.

*Cue Xbone fans claiming PS4 fans are hypocrites for now liking the idea of TV TV TV*

 

[Hoo-doo]

Intredasting.

Not being from the US, how big is Viacom? Big player in the TV business?

 

[rjinaz]

This could be interesting. Would allow me to cut cable as long as I get the sports channels that I need. I also want HBO dammit

Exactly what I was thinking. I have been hoping something like this would happen, cable tv over the internet through my PS4. I really hope they can offer some premiuim channels.

 

[driver116]

IPTV, I knew it.

Edit...IPTV is the future.

 

[xaosslug]

um... if MS doesn't have SOMETHING similar planned it's pretty much over.

 

[Crimson_Gold]

IPTV, I knew it.

Sony's secret agenda

 

[nib95]

Sony Too!™ is now appropriate

Dammit, and the warriors have been using that all this time, just on the wrong thing!

 

[Nags]

This could probably be brought to PS3 and Vita as well.

 

[captmcblack]

If I could get my local sports this way, it would make my life.

 

[thuway]

Sony better have their A game. They are competing against a cavalcade of service providers like Hulu, Netflix, and onDemand. I don't see how they think they will just waltz in and own the show. Better start making more exclusive programming like Breaking Bad Sony.

 

[avaya]

Everyone will wholesale to everyone when it comes to IPTV. Just a case of meeting the price.

 

[gaming_noob]

Sony one-upping Microsoft's own game. This is amazing!

 

[SEGAvangelist]

Sounds cool. Hope it's a real cable service. If it is, Sony could easily subsidize the PS4 with this.

 

[Crimson_Gold]

Sony better have their A game. They are competing against a cavalcade of service providers like Hulu, Netflix, and onDemand. I don't see how they think they will just waltz in and own the show. Better start making more exclusive programming like Breaking Bad Sony.

Breaking Bad 2: Breaking Worse

Spoiler

or Harder

This will be interesting to see. Give me some good stuff at $10-$20. I just might bite

 

[Into]

Intredasting.

Not being from the US, how big is Viacom? Big player in the TV business?

They are sizeable, MTV, Nickelodeon, BET Networks, Spike TV, Showtime, i believe they also own GameTrailers, not that it would matter in this context.

But yeah interesting news, its foolish to think Sony wouldnt fight the living room war and just let MS take it. They are just smart about talking about games at games conferences and events, to not piss off and disenfranchise the gaming audience, when there is no need to do that at those events.

 

[driver116]

Sony better have their A game. They are competing against a cavalcade of service providers like Hulu, Netflix, and onDemand. I don't see how they think they will just waltz in and own the show. Better start making more exclusive programming like Breaking Bad Sony.

Hannibal's getting good attention.

 

[GribbleGrunger]

'Cable box not required'

 

[witchedwiz]

doubt this will impact us eu folks, as cable tv and such aren't that spread...
still, if i can use sony to get hbo or sports channel us subscription for a pittance, heck i'd be all in..
following nfl and nba is a hassle nowdays..

 

[Doug Heffernan]

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

 

[Ebomb]

I wonder how much this deal is a wedge issue in the CBS Time Warner spat. Time Warner can't be happy about Viacom cozying up with IPTV.

 

[cuyahoga]

Not really surprising—rumors have been circulating of a Sony IPTV service for ages, like maybe two years or so. Don't particularly understand it, but good luck to them. I suspect Microsoft will probably do the same thing here. Intel's IPTV sounds like it is the most substantive new offering though, and I expect other new entries to lag behind them.

I wonder how much this deal is a wedge issue in the CBS Time Warner spat. Time Warner can't be happy about Viacom cozying up with IPTV.

CBS spunoff from Time Warner ages ago, so it is two different companies.

 

[driver116]

'Cable box not required'

 

[Hoo-doo]

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

Persecution complex much?

 

[Miles Quaritch]

Oh good, another US centric feature. First Gaikai and now this...

GG Sony.

 

[Ebomb]

'Cable box not required'

Until you want to watch something on cable that isn't viacom.

 

[KoopaTheCasual]

Wow... Would definitely expect this kind of major mult media move from MS, definitely not Sony. I wonder if it will really eliminate the need for a cable box entirely?

 

[Somnid]

Sony, MS, Apple, Intel, Google and a whole host of others trying to get a bite of leftover pie. Even if IPTV actually sounded appealing I wouldn't bet on Sony over the rest of those.

 

[kpaadet]

Sony Too!™ is now appropriate

I'm pretty sure Sony have been in the TV business a little longer than MS. Or are you being sarcastic?

 

[nib95]

Oh good, another US centric feature. First Gaikai and now this...

GG Sony.

Gaikai is not US centric. It's just launching in the US first. Doubt the European launch will be too long after.

I'm pretty sure Sony have been in the TV business a little longer than MS. Or are you being sarcastic?

I think he just meant with respect to the PS4 and XO.

 

[RetroStu]

Suddenly tv in with next gen consoles won't seem such a bad idea now to most people, thanks Sony!.

 

[Ebomb]

Not really surprising—rumors have been circulating of a Sony IPTV service for ages, like maybe two years or so. Don't particularly understand it, but good luck to them.

CBS spunoff from Time Warner ages ago, so it is two different companies.

CBS and Viacom are both controlled by National Amusements, Inc. They may be different companies in name, but they are controlled by the same people.

 

[rjinaz]

Until you want to watch something on cable that isn't viacom.

There could be other deals in the works with other cable channel providers. It doesn't have to stop here. But even if it does, it's still something most can't get unless they pay for cable.

 

[TheBioLover]

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

Man, this kind off stuff is getting annoying. Please stop.

 

[Racer1977]

Netflix, BBC iplayer, 4OD and some options to stream pay-per-view sports/movies, is all I need.

Don't want to be connected up to a cable/satellite box.

 

[driver116]

Oh good, another US centric feature. First Gaikai and now this...

GG Sony.

Sony, MS, Apple, Intel, Google and a whole host of others trying to get a bite of leftover pie. Even if IPTV actually sounded appealing I wouldn't bet on Sony over the rest of those.

AXN has been pretty successful for Sony outside of US.

 

[ari]

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

Lol

 

[Dance Inferno]

Oh snap. Me likey where this is going, I've been waiting for IPTV for a long, long time now.

 

[SuperSonic1305]

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

What a huge difference it makes when you care about games first and services second.

 

[Crimson_Gold]

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

The persecution is strong with this one

 

[Miles Quaritch]

Gaikai is not US centric. It's just launching in the US first. Doubt the European launch will be too long after.

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.

 

[Finalizer]

Sony Too!™ is now appropriate

"Not like this! Not like this!"

 

[lynux3]

So NFL Network via Viacom IPTV?

 

[statham]

Persecution complex much?

theres that word again. One day I will learn the meaning.

 

[gaming_noob]

Nevermind.