Five and Sony to promote on-demand service

UK broadcaster Five is teaming up with Sony to provide a video-on-demand service via Sony's Bravia TV sets. Five will be the first UK broadcaster to provide content for Sony's planned Bravia internet video service. Five's strategy director Charles Constable says: "It's vital for broadcasters and other industry stakeholders to explore such initiatives if they are to gain a solid footing in the digital world."

The service will be available on Bravia TVs, Sony Blu-ray disc players and Blu-ray home cinema systems, which can be plugged into a broadband connection to receive video-on-demand. Sony intendeds the service to "free viewers from the limitations of TV scheduling". It will also allow viewers to stream video from websites such as YouTube and Netflix.