In what could be a sign of the times ahead for Google TV, three of the biggest television broadcasters in the world have blocked Google from getting access to their content online. The move could have ramifications in Australia if Google TV is launched here.
Both Walt Disney Co and NBC Universal have confirmed that they have blocked the giant search company who earlier this month launch their new Google TV offering with both Logitech and Sony.
Disney owns the ABC network in the USA and cable TV business ESPN which is seen on Foxtel in Australia.
Rupert Murdoch’s News network Fox is also set to block access to the recently launched networke which uses Android based software to deliver a menu of content to TV screens.
According to Reuters, CBS has blocked access to full-length episodes of their programs, including popular shows like “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”.
The decision by the TV networks to basically black ban Google from accessing content could cause several other vendors including Samsung, LG and Panasonic to reconsider their plans to develop a Google TV offering.
Google was hoping that their new TV service would open new advertising opportunities for the company, which generates the bulk of it’s roughly $24 billion in annual revenue from Web search ads.
In a Reuters report Gartner analyst, Van Baker, said: “Everybody knows the lock that Google has on Internet traffic in terms of advertising. If you take that model and you extend it to the television, suddenly Google’s power becomes enormous in the advertising space and the broadcasters don’t like that idea,” Baker said.
Google said in a statement that its new Google TV service “enables access to all the Web content you already get today on your phone and PC, but it is ultimately the content owner’s choice to restrict users from accessing their content on the platform.”
