Sony

The internal emails leaked in a massive computer hack at Sony Pictures have captivated an entertainment industry that’s all ears for scandalous revelations. Beyond the dirty laundry, however, the release of inside information is expected to force significant changes in the way freewheeling Hollywood does business.

After 10 years and more than $7 billion in losses, Sony Corp. ’s television unit is poised to again post an annual profit. But the question remains: Is the once-proud business really worth keeping? Masashi Imamura, who oversees the TV division, says there is still value in it for Japan’s most famous consumer-electronics company, even at a time when traditional television viewing is losing out to other kinds of digital content, and low-cost upstarts like Vizio Inc. of the U.S. and Hisense Co. of China have undercut established TV manufacturers.

Things have come to a halt at Sony today, after the computers in New York and around the world were infiltrated by a hacker. As a precaution, computers in Los Angeles were shut down while the corporation deals with the breach. It has basically brought the whole global corporation to an electronic standstill.

Named PlayStation Vue, the cloud-based TV service will be accessible via PlayStation gaming consoles and given a soft invitation-only beta launch from this month in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia. A wider commercial launch is anticipated in the first quarter of 2015.

Viacom has agreed to let Sony’s forthcoming cloud-based TV service carry 22 Viacom networks upon launch. The deal is the first of its kind for Viacom, a telecommunications giant that owns networks including MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and TV Land. Sony’s cloud-based TV service will offer subscribers Internet-based live TV and video on demand from major programmers.

Samsung and Sony are escalating their fight for the attention — and dollars — of TV buyers. Both electronics giants will open up special areas in Best Buy stores to showcase 4K TVs and other home entertainment products. Sony arguably has home-field advantage, given its long legacy as a premium TV manufacturer. Samsung, however, is the No. 1 TV vendor in the world, and this new partnership can only help cement that position.

Sony introduced the PXW-X180 handheld camcorder with support for wireless LAN camera control and submission of proxy video at its 2014 NAB Show press conference on April 6. The new […]

Sony tries to make the PlayStation a home for TV by offering original programming through the gaming console. The superhero show Powers will be launch the effort.

Sony reported a net profit of $266 million in the third quarter of FY2013, compared with a loss of $106 million the same period the previous year.

The affiliate lineup comprises 23 Univision-owned stations including WFUT New York and KFTR Los Angeles, Word Broadcasting’s WBNA Louisville, Ky., and a station in Bakersfield, Calif., that GetTV is not yet ready to identify. At launch today, the network will be in 17 of the top 20 markets.

New Internet-based entertainment services, including a streaming game service and a cloud-based TV service, highlighted Sony’s Tuesday morning keynote at the Consumer Electronics Show.

Netflix exec Reed Hastings says 4K streaming is “very practical with HEVC compression.”

Sony Corp. agreed to sell its Gracenote audio-recognition software business to Tribune Co. for $170 million, part of the consumer-electronics maker’s effort to shed units as it focuses on fewer products. Tribune said it will combine Gracenote with its media-services division, which provides digital data on TV shows and movies.

Former ATSC Chairman John Godfrey, VP communications policy and regulatory affairs at Samsung, was elected to come back and serve on the board again. He’s joined by Mark Eyer of Sony and John Taylor of LG Electronics USA, both of whom were elected to a second term.

Television services delivered via the Internet by companies like Intel and Sony could someday transform how Americans watch TV shows. But the services have to get off the ground first, and there are new doubts about whether that is going to happen. Intel’s goal of introducing its OnCue service by the end of the year has been scrapped, and Sony, like Intel, has yet to announce deals to carry any channels.

The PXW-Z100 Ultra HD handheld will be available toward the end of the year.

On Friday, 19 organizations filed 10 proposals for ATSC 3.0, the next-generation television standard. Filers included LG, Harris Broadcast, Samsung and Sony. One company of notable interest is the nation’s largest TV station owner: Sinclair Broadcast Group.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Sony has reached a preliminary agreement with Viacom to carry the media company’s cable channels on Sony’s planned Internet-based TV service. Initially, at least, the service is expected to be available via Sony’s PlayStation gaming console — a new edition of which could be released soon — as well as Bravia HDTVs, but later will also work on other Sony devices including tablets and smartphones. WSJ subscribers can read the full story here.

Sony Corp. turned down billionaire Daniel Loeb’s call to sell a portion of its entertainment business, saying 100% ownership of the film and music units is crucial to the company’s success.

Intel, Apple and others push new technologies to take control of the living room. However, these companies working on new Internet-based services are widely expected to face tough sledding in negotiating rights for video content.

Sony and FIFA TV will test run the Ultra HD technology at three matches, to help decide whether it will be employed at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

While U.S. TV programming networks are close to transitioning to the new 4K TV technology, none has specific plans to air programming in 4K. Still, Sony Electronics has started a marketing campaign for its new 4K Ultra HD TV sets today.

Canon is making another run at selling camcorders to TV stations for ENG, introducing two new units at NAB. Rivals in the market: Panasonic’s AG-HPX and AJ-PX lines; JVC’s GY-HN650 with dual-codec live streaming; and Sony’s new PMW-450 and its PMW-200.

There’s a wide field of players with no shortage of innovative — but often flawed — strategies. Here’s how they stack up.

TVU Network’s mobile cellular uplink solution is the first of its kind to integrate with all three major camera manufacturers. On Wednesday, the company will announce its TVUPack Mini camera-mountable […]

The Japanese electronics giant talked about its upcoming game console for the first time and said it will go on sale this holiday season. But Sony didn’t reveal the device itself. Presenters played games that were projected on screens in a converted opera house, but the PlayStations themselves were hidden backstage throughout Wednesday evening’s two-hour event.