Sony has broached a tentative deal with cable TV provider Viacom to stream its popular channels on via a new internet TV service.
Viacom has apparently allows Sony to stream its popular cable channels like MTV and Nickelodeon on an upcoming internet TV service on the PlayStation platform.
Although Sony’s TV streaming arm has yet to be given an official name, the service could allow subscribers to receive live cable channel feeds in a fashion similar to Netflix or LoveFilm.
It could well be that PlayStation Plus subscribers get access to the Sony TV streaming service on the PS4.
If such a deal actually comes off between Viacom and Sony, it would be the first agreement of its kind between a technology company and broadcaster.
Along with news of the Viacom deal, Sony has also approached Time Warner and the Walt Disney Company with similar propositions for its TV streaming service.
Early in July, Sony trademarked the name PlayStation TV for an upcoming service, suggesting that the PS4 could be home to a Netflix and LoveFilm rival as part of the PlayStation Network service in the future.
The PlayStation TV trademark was originally filed by Sony in 2006, but that patent lapsed in September 2012, causing the Japanese electronics manufacturer to apply for the rights to the name and logo.
“Whereas I think you could have slightly accused Sony of a bit of forced synergy, if we’d been trying to enact this collaboration several years ago, the fact is now, with 110 million PlayStation Network accounts worldwide, that’s a substantial business opportunity for Sony Pictures to reach a different audience,” said PlayStation CEO Andrew House.
Sony could be in a prime position to launch a TV streaming service due to the well-established PS3 userbase and the increasing consumer support for its next-generation PS4 console.
A “media company executive briefed on the plans” suggested that Sony will launch the PlayStation TV service in Q4 2013 or Q1 2014, strangely in line with the “holidays 2013” PS4 release date.
Next, read our pick of the best PS4 games.
Via: New York Times
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
