Reuters: Microsoft in talks to bring subscription TV, networks to Xbox Live

by Griffin McElroy on Nov 29th 2010 2:00PM

We heard some buzz back in April about Microsoft execs considering the addition of a "television channel" to Xbox Live, allowing subscribers to view reruns and original programming for an additional buck or two per month. Today, Reuters reports that a pair of unnamed insiders has claimed Microsoft has held meetings with various media companies to discuss licensing of television programs to be streamed through such an application.

These talks, according to the sources, have been productive (though the launch of an Xbox Live TV service could be as far as a year out) and have included the potential to add interactive elements into shows viewed through the console and a "content silos" option, so that users could select entire networks (e.g., HBO or Showtime) to subscribe to. We'd definitely want to see an AMC channel, so we could get our Breaking Bad Mad Men Walking Dead on. Oh! And TBS -- for Conan. In fact, we could totally get down with an "all the awesome shows that they don't have on Hulu for some reason" channel.

Source: Reuters

Tags: IPTV, microsoft, subscription, television, tv, xbox, xbox-live, xbox-live-tv

Reader Comments (53)

Breaking Bad not mention for AMC. That's a shame.

@Assimilate

mentioned*

@Assimilate Sure it was. It was the first show they mentioned in the article when listing shows from AMC.

well i guess it a good deal for people that don't have cable but as long it optional then im cool with it.

@bargaingamer

No, it's probably cool for people who DON'T WANT cable but still want to see the handful of shows worth having cable for. This is great news to finally get an ala carte option for cable programming.

Maybe I can finally watch Walking Dead in HD. Damn you DirecTV...

Oh man I've been waiting for MS to deliver on this for 3 years now. I would love IPTV through my xbox.

@Tuxy79
In Canada you can already get this through Telus Optik TV.

These things always get heavily watered down when they finally get to us. I won't get my hopes up.

@Acosta02
Exactly. Twitter with a terrible lack of practicality, Facebook with a horrible user interface, and Last.Fm without in-game streaming. No thanks Microsoft, I'll pass. Better yet, have a membership in place with the advantages of gold (online play) without all of these blunders and reduce the price, that's something I can endorse.

This could be the nail in the coffin for my cable bill as far as tv goes. I only really watch a handful of channels as it is, and a lot of time on Netflix.

If it doesn't have local sports it's not TV.

How about HBO on Demand? I don't need HBO but I would like to PPV specific shows.

@JonahFalcon

They have some Shows available on PS3. But yeah HULU should get all the shows that they are missing, it is kinda crazy that you only get NBC shows.

@(Unverified)

You're not paying "extra" it's just extra stuff you get on top of being able to play games online.... but whatever, we'll always get this argument at one point or another.

I waited for 4 years for IPTV to the xbox 360 (planned to use it as a second receiver)... and just canceled my Uverse Cable and kept the 25mbps speed via fiber. I got sick of waiting and the cost kept going up. Now I watch everything off Hulu, Plex, Boxee or the network's websites, so far it's great... I get HD quality and $60/mo saving with less than $10 invested (cable to hook the laptop into the hdmi). Why would I pay even $1-4 for stuff I can get for free?

@Miami Prodigy

Please explain further.

@Miami Prodigy

Nothing has ever beat The Wire in my book. Lost is a close second though.

@(Unverified)

Not to mention you have to have an affliated ISP to stream live games on ESPN on the 360. That app is more useless to me just like twitter and facebook on xbl.

@MystileArmor

Actually, in the linked article Microsoft says they raised the price of XBox Live Gold in order to support the cost of all these new licensing deals.

So yes, we are paying extra.

@Miami Prodigy

Sorry for not sounding like a fanboy, but this is why the 360 is a great choice to own alongside a PS3 and Wii, since the PS3 has many entertainment offerings that the 360 doesn't, and vice versa.

And the Wii, well.. Zelda, Mario, Donkey Kong. Enough said.

No one is any better than the other. It just depends on what you want out of your console.

I cut the cable to go with Netflix only since the only few TV programs I watch are on it. If the Xbox 360 can finally be that device that can let me subscribe to the few channels I wouldn't mind lying around to waste my time would be good times.

I remember years ago it was ruled that cable stations had to offer tv channels individually. Yeah, that never happened. It would be cool to get that opportunity from Microsoft. Even if it was like $5 a channel, if I only want 4 channels (I get the basic cable free over the air), that's $20, vs the $50-60 I'm paying now.

@MystileArmor

that's not entirely true. it's debatable that microsoft recently upped the price of live to $60 a year (instead of 50) to cover the new espn integration. as long as i can still find deals on live memberships every once in a while, i'm fine with it. if they start charging $70 or even $65 to cover this "on demand" tv stuff than i think a lot of people will be pissed off, but of course microsoft won't give a crap.

@Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell

no way dude. you can't even put lost in the same league as the wire. if microsoft could somehow bring hbo shows to xbl, now THAT would be awesome.

I demand CNN! So I can interact with Anderson Cooper 360...on my 360.

@SEGA Scream lol I wish xbl could be like directv so I could get rid of directtv I only watch tv on my xbox or on my computer

@Liquidfingers

The Shield > The Wire

But the Wire is still amazing. =P

@(Unverified)

You also have to take into account that a membership now only costs 10 dollars more then it did when launched. Look at the current economic situation and you're paying just about the same as you did then...

This Would Be F**ing Awseome!!!

Are you a parrot?

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

the shield...hmmm...can't say i've ever actually watched it. i don't usually give basic network shows a chance. it usually always feels like they pull punches at the most crucial moments.

I would LOVE to be able to ditch one or two of my DirecTV boxes if they would allow streaming to the 360, or even being able to use them for multiroom viewing. Maybe license a 360 at a reduced rate for $2-$3 a month? Could sure clean up my home TV setups, with Xbox 360s, Blu-Ray players, and DirecTV boxes everywhere.

If I can get live feeds in HD for all sports and WWE/ROH/TNA wrestling, I will cancel cable so fast it'll make your head spin.

@IRONSAM you seriously watch wrestling?? How old are you?? LMAO!

ow boy more crap no one asked for. I smell a price increase coming

@Miami Prodigy Is that why you had to repeat your post 6 times

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

ive watched the shield, and it has absolutely no character that comes close to omar.

@Liquidfingers

Yeah, I feel the same way about Network Television.

But the Shield was on FX, which is Cable, and FX isn't known for pulling any punches, which they certainly never did with the Shield.

Give it a shot sometime. :)

@CommentSystem

omar is an awesome character, no doubt, but i almost feel like he's been overly glorified, especially on the internet. i mean, he is basically just a gay, ghetto robin hood, right? :) i still wonder how he survived that jump out the window.

@Ezio

i will check out the shield. for some reason i had it in my mind that it was on fox or tnt or something.

After the $10 XBL price increase, this damn well better be free

Does that mean I should be expecting another Xbox live price hike?

Anything that gives me an excuse to cancel my cable is a good thing. I am sooooo close, I just need a way to watch AMC and HBO, possibly Comedy Central/CNN. I literally only watch like 10 hours of TV a month on only these channels.

Yeah. More things for Microsoft to charge you more money for. As if Microsoft wasn't already the worlds largest corporate and wealthy empire. Now they want to gouge their consumers even more. Has Microsoft EVER been just about giving something back.

@Grimcicle

Does anyone bitch less than Canadians?

Has microsoft ever heard the term, "Free Content" before?

@copa I'd be willing to bet that if microsoft does get this implemented they will charge even more for it. There is no way they want to cut into their own profits. They've already proven they can raise the prices and people will still pay. Hell, they have an army of people online defending them for raising the prices and berating anyone who thinks otherwise.

We've been hearing about Microsoft's foray into this world off and on for a while now, so this was inevitable. I'm glad to see it come, but my only quip would be what I've read here and on Yahoo early this morning about the same thing-- it's a year out, which would seem to imply Microsoft is releasing this kind of stuff around the fall update. That's a shame if that's what they're waiting for.... I think Microsoft needs to be more responsive and release content ANYTIME through out the year, and not rely on the fall update to add such material.

We got pay (IP)TV (Foxtel) on 360 in Australia earlier this month. The complete package for everything, all channels, sports, and movies, costs about $75 per month. And even then, since it's IPTV technically, you don't get all the same content as the regular service because Foxtel doesn't have internet rights to everything such as some sports.

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Reuters: Microsoft in talks to bring subscription TV, networks to Xbox Live

Reader Comments (53)

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:05PM Assimilate said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:05PM Assimilate said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:29PM Mcmax3000 said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:06PM bargaingamer said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 6:05PM fohf said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:09PM Deezul AwT said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:09PM Tuxy79 said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 4:01PM here2000 said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:11PM Acosta02 said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 3:17PM Odd Clobber said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:17PM The Tim said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:17PM jsx92 said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:21PM JonahFalcon said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:41PM pickupdoctor said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:21PM MystileArmor said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:21PM Usr666 said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:27PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:29PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:29PM Youthinized said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:32PM copa said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:37PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:37PM comics4andy said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:37PM Hoops said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:41PM Liquidfingers said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:45PM Liquidfingers said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:57PM SEGA Scream said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 3:09PM shopping bags said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 2:57PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 3:01PM MystileArmor said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 3:02PM Dnukem89 said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 3:09PM Pure Black World Tendency said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 3:09PM Liquidfingers said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 3:17PM Deezul AwT said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 3:25PM IRONSAM said

Posted: Dec 2nd 2010 1:30AM metsfan421 said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 3:27PM Silent Killer01 said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 3:57PM Special Agent Bob said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 4:05PM CommentSystem said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 4:06PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 4:12PM Liquidfingers said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 4:25PM FredMC said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 4:25PM chicho13420 said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 4:25PM chicho13420 said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 4:27PM WiNGSPANTT from TopTierTacticsco said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 4:52PM neoXmahi said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 5:48PM A Sandwich said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 6:08PM thegamemaster said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 6:09PM fohf said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 6:34PM Starcade said

Posted: Nov 29th 2010 6:34PM Gryllis said

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