PlayStation Vue drops Viacom channels, adds BBC America, Vice, and NBA TV

By Brad Jones November 9, 2016

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PlayStation Vue — Sony’s attempt to appeal to cord-cutters via low monthly rates on streaming TV — has been available across the United States since March. And now, the list of channels that are broadcast on Vue are set to undergo a few changes.

Sony confirmed Tuesday that all networks owned by Viacom will no longer be available via PlayStation Vue starting November 11. This includes popular channels like Comedy Central, Spike, and MTV, according to a post on the official PlayStation blog.

“At PlayStation, we always strive to provide the best value and service for our fans,” reads the announcement from Dwayne Benefield, the head of the PlayStation Vue program. “As part of our ongoing evaluation of the PlayStation Vue offering, we have determined that removing the bundle of channels from Viacom is the best way for us to continue to offer the most compelling value to our fans.”

While there’s no official confirmation from Sony, it seems that this change could be related to the launch of a rival streaming service. Earlier this month, leaked documents confirmed that Viacom’s networks would be part of AT&T’s DirecTV Now.

PlayStation Vue subscribers shouldn’t assume that the service is bleeding content without offering up anything in its place. The blog post also confirms that several new channels are set to join the service in the near future.

BBC America and NBA TV are set to join the PlayStation Vue channel lineup Wednesday, while Vice and local stations operated by CBS and Fox are said to be “coming soon.” Benefield also pledged that more new networks are set to be announced in the future, as well as expanded access to Vue programming on a wider range of devices.

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Brad is an English-born writer currently splitting his time between Edinburgh and Pennsylvania. You can find him on Twitter…

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