Sony Signs Internet TV Deal With Viacom

Sony has come to terms on a tentative deal with Viacom that would allow the latter's cable channels to be made available through an Internet TV service in the works at Sony, reports the Wall Street Journal.

It's the first deal of the sort to be signed by Sony or the other companies -- namely Intel and Google -- who are also looking to establish an Internet-based TV service that would offer both on-demand programming and streaming channels. The Viacom family includes MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, Spike, and more.

Sony's service would be available through a variety of Sony devices, including PlayStation systems, according to a source who spoke with the Wall Street Journal. We first heard about this service back in 2011.

Its development comes at a time where subscription numbers for traditional cable and satellite TV services are in decline. Unfortunately, those who are hoping Sony's alternative will do away with the inflexible, bundled nature of existing TV services -- which don't offer customers the ability to pick and choose the channels they want -- won't be getting what they wish for. A New York Times source indicated Sony's service will operate similarly to existing bundle services, rather than offering a la carte options that could save customers money by allowing them to opt in or out of notoriously expensive channels like ESPN that have no appeal to certain groups of people.

Sony is hoping to do more than merely recreate existing services and offer them over the Internet. The WSJ report says people who have seen the service in action claim it offers TV recommendations based on what you watch and has an easy-to-use, "highly graphic" interface that's more pleasant to use than what TV watchers are used to dealing with.

A media company executive indicated to the New York Times that Sony's goal is to begin offering its Internet TV service in the fourth quarter of 2013 or the first quarter of next year.

While its entertainment features haven't been featured by Sony as prominently as the Xbox One's have been by Microsoft, the PlayStation 4 will do more than just play games, and this service could very well be a big part of its non-gaming functionality. The possibility of support on PlayStation 3 has not been ruled out, however, and might actually be counted on as a means for expanding its potential subscription base.

Does the idea of an Internet-based TV service intrigue you, be it from Sony or some other company? What sort of features or details would you need to hear about before signing up? Let us know in the comments.

Chris Pereira is a freelance writer who spends his spare time agonizing over the final seasons of The X-Files, which he will no doubt be suckered into buying on Blu-ray one day. Check out what he's saying on Twitter and follow him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com