HBO is reported to be considering stepping outside of existing cable packages and offering itself as a stand-alone service in order to raise its current subscriber base – and if that doesn’t work, it just might abandon television altogether. The surprise news came from Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes, who told an audience at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference that the channel would consider being sold solo through cable/satellite providers and “new distributors” if he felt that the channel was being “overly hindered” by highly-priced bundles of channels.

According to the New York Post, the channel may also consider cutting the cord with television altogether, dependent on the success of various HBO online plans, such as HBO Go, which allows those already subscribing to the channel to watch content online, and a planned iPad app to be launched next year. No timeframes were given for either initiative, however.

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