Audio Video News

Sony is about to launch two movie channels. One, Sony Pictures Movies HD, would be the first channel completely under Sony ownership. The other, FearNet, is a joint venture with Lionsgate and Comcast.

Other studios already own movie channels, such as Universal HD and MGM HD. However, Sony is not planning extra-cost premium channels like HBO or Showtime. Those cost a lot per subscriber and that's held them back in the past. Presumably the Sony channels would be offered in one of cable's typical tiered packages.

FearNet will concentrate on horror movies. Interestingly, it's currently an online service and a VOD channel carried by Comcast, Cox, U-verse, and FiOS and already reaches 28 million homes. But soon it will be a conventional cable channel as well.

Both Sony Pictures Movies HD and the new version of FearNet are scheduled to make their debuts on October 1, 2010.

See Los Angeles Times.