Sony Pictures is planning to launch its own pay TV channel in Germany and is also interested in collaborating with T-Online on providing content for its video on demand service.

Speaking to the German business daily newspaper Handelsblatt, Michael Grindon, president of Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI), stated that he was 'convinced that there are good opportunities for such a cable or satellite channel' which could be distributed via Premiere's digital pay platform, cable networks or the Internet. Grindon did not say, however, when this channel would be launched, preferring instead to comment that SPTI would be closely watching how the cable and broadband market develops, 'then we will take our decision.'

In a first reaction to Sony's plans, Premiere's CEO Georg Kofler said that a dedicated Sony channel on the Premiere platform would be 'a boon' to add to the existing five channels already offered through Premiere by MGM, Disney and Universal. (Indeed, Universal is to launch its third channel - the science fiction channel Sci-Fi - on Premiere from this autumn.)