Comcast Adds Sony VOD

Comcast Corp. digital customers on Tuesday gained access to free movies-on-demand and TV shows from the Sony library, according to a report today.

The expanded “free” content, available via on-demand under buttons labeled “Free Movies” and “Tube Time,” is linked to the MSO’s decision last year to back Sony’s bid to acquire MGM, according to Multichannel News sister magazine CED.

The “Free Movies” category offers flicks from the Sony vault, while “Tube Time” offers access to episodes from older TV series such as Maude and Barney Miller, CED said.

Comcast plans to eventually offer digital subs up to 50 Sony movie titles per month for free, and store about 75 hours of Sony’s traditional TV fare. The MSO expects those numbers to increase after the Sony-MGM deal closes.

Comcast has “soft-launched” the product for now, but expects more marketing to kick in as the content hours expand. The MSO also plans to offer digital subs free access to movies from the Flix service.