Intel Corporation (INTC) Nearing Pay-TV Service?

Apparently Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) realizes that its survival in the tech industry will not include microchips only. So how about television? That seems like a reasonable stretch – go from chips that get smaller and smaller to streaming television on screens that seem to get larger and larger.

While it seems like an odd choice, Intel Corporation is reportedly making content deals with several providers – and are in early discussions with several others – to introduce a subscription TV service that could be a different model than some of those that are being created now by the likes of Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX), Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Hulu. How, specifically, it will be different has not been fully fleshed out yet, but Intel has indicated that it may have its own set-top box available in the market by the end of this year.

Intel Corporation is apparently seeking live TV, a library of archived content and perhaps a digital video recording service in the cloud, with content being accessible through TVs, computers and mobile devices.

The latest reports have Intel Corporation reaching  deals in principle with such content distributors as NBC Universal, Viacom Inc. and Time Warner Inc. (NYSE:TWX), though details of the contracts still need to be hammered out. These companies have apretnly indicated interest in providing content from CNN, the USA Network and MTV to start. There are also reports that Intel is in early talks with News Corp (NASDAQ:NWS), The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) and CBS Corporation (NYSE:CBS).

What are your thoughts about this? Can Intel Corporation provide an alternative to current cable providers at a more affordable cost – a sort of a la carte approach? Let us know yoru thoughts in the comments section below.

Please see these related INTC articles:

Hedge Funds are Selling Intel

Can Intel Be a Force in Mobile?

Billionaire Michael Price Likes These High-Value, High-Dividend Stocks