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Sony Drops Viacom Networks From PlayStation Vue

Say goodbye to Comedy Central, Spike, and MTV, among other channels.

 & Stephanie Mlot Contributor

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Attention PlayStation Vue subscribers: Sony is dropping all Viacom-owned networks from its cloud-based TV service.

Starting at 12:01 a.m. ET on November 11, channels including Comedy Central, Spike, and MTV will no longer be accessible to Vue consumers.

"At PlayStation, we always strive to provide the best value and service for our fans," Vue head Dwayne Benefield wrote in a blog post. "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."

It's not all bad news, though, as Sony announced the addition of BBC America and NBA TV today; Vice is coming soon alongside CBS and Foxmore local broadcast stations.

PlayStation Vue launched in November 2014 as an invite-only beta preview for select PS3 and PS4 owners. The Internet TV platform made its official debut in March 2015, providing online access to a handful of channels as well as a la carte picks such as Showtime, Fox Soccer Plus, and Machinima.

This year, Sony partnered with ESPN, ABC, and other Disney-owned networks, and added channels including NFL Network and HBO. It also introduced new PS Vue-enabled devices such as Roku, Android TV, and Web support for PC and Mac.

"We will continue to expand the PlayStation Vue service by adding devices and networks that are highly requested by our fans," Benefield said.

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Stephanie Mlot

Stephanie Mlot

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