New York – Three of the four major U.S. broadcast networks
— ABC (NYSE: DIS), CBS (NYSE: CBS) and NBC (NYSE: GE) — are blocking their programming from access by Google (NASD: GOOG) TV,
the company’s new Web-based TV streaming service, The Wall Street Journal
reported. Programs from Viacom’s (NYSE: VIA) MTV and News Corp.’s (NYSE: NWS) Fox aren’t currently
blocked, although a Fox spokeswoman told The Journal "a firm decision has
not yet been reached."
Content from the Hulu video portal joint venture
between News Corp., NBCU and Disney is also being blocked from Google TV.
New
devices from Sony and Logitech that support Google TV began shipping this
month; the service lets users search both Web video and TV shows and other programming available online from a single interface.
Google reportedly asked media firms to optimize their online video offerings for
the service this summer, while Time Warner’s (NYSE: TWX) HBO and Turner Broadcasting did,
as did NBCU’s CNBC.
However, The Journal cited sources who said some at the
networks wanted Google to filter out results from pirate sites when users
searched for their content.
Related Links:
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It’s never a good idea to bet against the Internet. Look at what happened to the music and newspaper business. Now the TV networks want to do the equivalent of suing YouTube – block Google TV. Good luck!
Jay Baage