ABC iView coming to the PlayStation Network late 2009

Following a whirlwind of Sony announcements in Cologne, Germany, this week, including a cheaper, slimmer PlayStation 3 console and price cuts for the existing model, the publisher also took the time to focus on its individual territories.

In an Australian-exclusive announcement, Sony Computer Entertainment Australia revealed a nonexclusive partnership with the television arm of the country’s national broadcaster, the ABC. Under a new trial beginning later this year, Sony and ABC TV will extend the functionality of the PS3 console to include optimised catch-up TV, offering PS3 owners in Australia the chance to watch ABC iView on their television sets through the PS3 via the PlayStation Network.

ABC iView is a free Internet broadcasting service that offers a range of ABC TV programs streamed in high resolution. It currently has over 300 programs available on demand. ABC’s director of television, Kim Dalton, says the trial is the first in a series of developments to extend ABC iView to a wider audience.

"We want to make our content as accessible as possible to our audience," she said in a statement. "Increasingly, that means extending our online reach so Australians can watch what they want, when they want it. Today's gaming consoles, televisions, and DVD players all have Internet capability, and we're excited to be able to team up with Sony PlayStation, as the first step in integrating ABC TV content into new online platforms and technologies."

The agreement between Sony and ABC TV is nonexclusive--the broadcaster is currently in discussions with a number of other companies about making ABC iView accessible on other platforms.