It's almost showtime for Showtime.
The premium television channel may likely launch a standalone Internet-based offering in 2015, according to CBS CEO Les Moonves, who spoke with CNBC on Wednesday.
Moonves says we'll "fairly definitively" see stand-alone SHOWTIME offering in 2015. $CBS
— Julia Boorstin (@JBoorstin) November 5, 2014
Showtime, which is owned by CBS, is a rival to Time Warner's HBO, which will also begin to offer some form of an online subscription service in 2015. HBO's online offering, HBO GO, isn't currently available without a cable subscription, but several users share logins to get around that.
Moonves has not been shy about pushing his company into the online business. CBS had already announced that it will begin to offer a comprehensive Internet-based service that will include live TV as well as archived on-demand video of CBS shows.
During an interview, Moonves also mentioned that these services are meant to appeal to media consumers that have broadband access, but no cable subscriptions, adding that he does not believe the Internet-based services are detrimental to existing business relationships with cable providers.
He also teased an agreement with Sony for Internet television.
Moonves announces “we’ve just reached an historic, over-the-top agreement with Sony” #CBSEarnings
— Dana McClintock (@Dana_McClintock) November 5, 2014