GECs
Sony envisions a ‘Value’ Network with TV at centre
LAS VEGAS: A “single, seamless platform across AV, PC and mobile devices, with TV at the centre” is at the core of Sony’s global strategy to realize its vision of a Ubiquitous “Value” Network.
Sony President and COO Kunitake Ando elaborated on the company’s strategy during the Consumer Electronics Show, which runs through 12 January. In his keynote address, Ando used the theme ‘A World About ‘U’ to highlight the comprehensive control that the user will have over customising entertainment and communications devices, and spoke about the company’s initiatives to create open-standard broadband networks.
He also pointed to television “reborn” as the focal point for the delivery, use and interaction with broadband entertainment in the home.
He said, “Our initiative to develop interoperability between PC and AV devices in the home, is a key step to realise the true value of the home network.” Ando also spoke of Sony’s participation in a “forum group” of collaborators advocating an advanced Linux-based platform for digital home electronics devices. “By connecting AV, PC and mobile devices, we will create a huge platform for the creation and enjoyment of rich digital content. Secure content development is at the centre of agenda.”
Citing the global increase in broadband adoption, Ando expressed optimism about the accessibility of broadband content, and said that this year will be key to the acceleration of broadband penetration, especially in the US.
Ando described the future role of television, a more powerful, more ubiquitous and interactive version of what we know today. “We’re literally helping put displays everywhere to offer users the state-of-the-art visual experience,” he said. “In my view, the first 50 years of colour television were only the infancy, Ando said, referring to the passive nature of TV as increasing innovation is taking place today.
Ando also spotlighted Sony’s new Cocoon products, a Linux-based platform of broadband AV devices, that, when connected to a home network, learn user preferences and create a truly customised entertainment experience.
Ando also stressed Sony’s leadership in all aspects of high-definition television, including HD Cam professional content creation and editing equipment, as well as consumer displays and future high-definition content recording and playback devices employing Blu-ray laser technology.
The Las Vegas event is seeing hundreds of new digital and high-definition TVs, including sleek flat-panel displays from 10 inches to more than 60 inches wide. High defintiion programming is poised for a leap in the US. The big three networks broadcast much of their prime-time offerings in high definition. ESPN will launch its own HD channel in the US on 30 March with an opening-night baseball broadcast of the Anaheim Angels and Texas Rangers.Reports indicate that set top manafacturers and cable companies also recently made a deal that would allow digital TVs to plug directly into digital cable systems and receive HDTV without a separate cable box. And at Hollywood’s urging, many equipment makers already have adopted a new digital connection, called DVI, to deter illegal copying of movies and programmes.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
