‘US giants to offer channels through new SVOD net’

Channels from US cable TV giants like Discovery, AMC Networks and Viacom are set to become available on a new entertainment-focused SVOD service called Philo.

This is according to the Wall Street Journal, which that claims a soft-launch for the new US streaming service will roll out in the coming weeks.

Philo will reportedly be aimed at people not interested in paying for televised sports and will also include cable channels owned by A+E Networks and Scripps Networks Interactive.

The service will cost less than US$20 per-month and will offer a bundle of channels offering non-fiction, lifestyle, scripted and kids programming, according to the report.

The Philo-branded service will reportedly by run by a start-up of the same name, which to date has offered a university-focused internet TV service.

The company is backed by HBO, among others, and raised a US$10m Series B funding round in 2015.