“We’re hearing from these consumers that they are heavy consumers of entertainment, but in some senses, I think that they are most at risk of cord-cutting based on a frustration of not being able to really access and surface the content that they really want to see,” Mr. House said.

The PlayStation Vue is one of the first products from a group of tech, telecom and media rivals that are racing to release new offerings that challenge the entrenched cable and satellite business. They include Dish, DirecTV and Verizon. CBS and HBO, meanwhile, are each starting Internet-only subscription offerings.

The companies are trying to appeal to a new wave of “cord cutters,” who have canceled their cable or satellite packages in favor of cheaper streaming alternatives, and “cord nevers,” who have never paid for a traditional cable service.

Sony declined to reveal the price for its new service or other details that analysts said could be crucial determining factors as to whether people subscribe. The company said that rates would be “fair and competitive” and require no long-term contracts, equipment or installations. Media executives speculate that the service will cost about $60 a month, a discount on the average $90 households pay monthly for cable or satellite television service.

Todd Juenger, a media analyst with Bernstein Research, said that while the new Sony service innovates on the television-watching experience, he expects that most people seeking to pay only for the networks they watch will be disappointed. He also said that the exclusion of ESPN could be a big hindrance for sports fans.

“People are expecting a transformative, disruptive new model where they can say, ‘I just want to pay for this or that like iTunes,’ ” Mr. Juenger said. “That is not coming. Everybody is conspiring to make sure that is not going to happen.”

Sony executives said the company was exploring options that could let subscribers pick which television networks they want to add to their package.