Sony launching pay TV service - Report

The Wall Street Journal reports today that Sony has reached a preliminary agreement with mass media giant Viacom to license its channels for an Internet-based TV service.

According to a person familiar with the matter, Sony's service will allow users to stream cable channels and view on-demand content through the Internet.

No subscription price was mentioned.

Sony is aiming to launch the service by the end of the year through PlayStation consoles (presumably PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4) and its line of Bravia HDTVs, one source said.

Support for other Sony devices, like tablets and smartphones, is also in the works, the source said. The system can reportedly recommend shows for users based on what they watched previously, a feature in place already on many major services like Netflix and Amazon Instant Video, among others.

Viacom owns major networks including MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, and Spike. Sony and Viacom declined to comment on the report.

The report further claims that Sony has held discussions with other major programming companies like the Walt Disney Company, Time Warner, and GameSpot parent company CBS Corp.

A pay TV service from Sony was first outed in January, when Hollywood news site Variety heard from sources that the Japanese technology giant was in "active negotiations" with at least two major content companies to license their programming.

Competitor Microsoft is pushing TV support for its next-generation console the Xbox One. The platform aims to simplify the living room entertainment experience by allowing users to patch their cable signal in directly through the system, removing the need for extra remotes.

Microsoft is also working with Steven Spielberg on an all-new Halo TV show and has signed a deal with the NFL worth an estimated $400 million.