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TECHNOLOGY A23
Wednesday 16 March 2016

Aimed at cable cord-cutters, Sony TV service goes nationwide

ANICK JESDANUN This file image provided by Sony shows a frame grab demonstrating Sony’s PlayStation Vue streaming-television service.
AP Technology Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Sony’s Associated Press
streaming TV service is analyst who follows the new regions reflects that limitation by offering network shows, either.
expanding nationwide
Monday, giving TV lovers cable industry. how television networks just the cable channels TV packages for Vue’s
throughout the U.S. a new,
potentially cheaper way to Moffett said viewers distribute their programs live — more than 50 in existing markets won’t
get cable channels such
as AMC and ESPN. typically like the idea in the U.S. Networks own the starting package. change. They start at $40
PlayStation Vue, which
had been limited to of slimmer, cheaper TV stations only in major Programs from ABC, Fox, and include the local
major cities during its first
year, will start at $30 a packages when they cities, and their programs NBC and Telemundo will stations. The broadcast-
month in the new regions.
That’s $10 cheaper than don’t have time to watch are carried elsewhere in be available the following free, $30 option will be
current packages, but it
won’t include over-the-air 500-plus channels, but the country by affiliate day, similar to the way limited to markets outside
channels, such as stations
for ABC and Fox. Vue’s “everyone’s ideal skinny stations owned by other Hulu works. CBS shows are the initial seven — Chicago,
seven older markets — big
cities including New York bundle is a little different.” companies. Because coming to some markets Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami,
City and San Francisco —
won’t have access to the As a result, he said, these of that, Sony doesn’t only at an unspecified New York City, Philadelphia
new, cheaper deal.
More people are bypassing slimmer packages still automatically have rights date. The CW isn’t currently and San Francisco, as
traditional TV services in
light of extensive online end up too expensive to include those stations offered in any of Vue’s well as their suburbs. Sony
offerings from the likes of
Netflix and HBO Now. To for many people, or are and has limited the Vue packages. Vue customers hasn’t revealed how many
reach them, cable and
satellite TV companies missing someone’s favorite service to major markets would still be able to get subscribers it has, but
are launching Internet-
based TV services. Dish channel or two. with network-owned local stations with an Moffett believes it is still tiny,
debuted its $20-a-month
Sling TV service last year. A PlayStation or an Amazon channels. Traditional cable antenna. Sling TV also lacks given the service’s limited
Comcast and other cable
companies have also Fire TV device is needed to companies have had time over-the-air channels in reach until now.
experimented with online
TV packages, though none sign up for Vue. to negotiate deals with its starting package of 23 Moffett has estimated that
are offered beyond a few
markets. AT&T’s DirecTV Vue’s exclusion of over- affiliates elsewhere. channels. But it doesn’t Sling TV has about half a
service plans a nationwide
streaming offering, but the-air channels in the Sony will now try to bypass include next-day access to million customers.q
details on prices and
channels haven’t been
released. Published reports
have also said that Apple
is trying to develop its own
streaming-TV service.
Vue’s cheaper offering,
made available in more
markets than before,
could make Vue a more
significant challenger to
traditional TV services from
cable and satellite.
“But nobody really knows
how big the opportunity
will be,” said Craig Moffett,
a MoffettNathanson