Intel Said to Seek Programming Rights to Start Online Television Service
Intel Corp. (INTC), the world’s biggest chipmaker, is considering creating an online pay-television service that works on TV sets, computers and mobile devices, according to three people with knowledge of the plans.
Intel reached out to media companies and cable channels about getting the rights to broadcast shows, said the people, who asked not to be named because the discussions aren’t public. Intel would sell a Web-connected set-top box capable of streaming TV and video-on-demand programming, the Wall Street Journal reported earlier today.
As proposed, the plan would let consumers get their shows on any Internet-connected device without subscribing to traditional cable and satellite TV services. The offering would mark the first new full-service pay-TV system since AT&T Inc. (T) and Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) expanded into the market. Intel’s inquiries are at an early stage, and it’s uncertain whether the company will gain the rights needed for the proposed service, the people familiar with the matter said.
