Networks Block Web Programs From Being Viewed on Google TV

The Wall Street Journal

ABC, CBS and NBC are blocking TV programming on their websites from being viewable on Google Inc.'s new Web-TV service, exposing the rift that remains between the technology giant and some of the media companies it wants to supply content for its new products.

Full-length episodes of shows like NBC's "The Office," CBS's "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," and ABC's "Modern Family" can't be viewed on Google TV, a service that allows people to access the Internet and search for Web videos on their television screens, as well as to search live TV listings. Logitech International S.A. and Sony Corp. began selling devices running the software this month.

Spokespeople for the three networks confirmed that they are blocking the episodes on their websites from playing on Google TV, although both ABC and NBC allow promotional clips to work using the service. ABC is owned by Walt Disney Co., CBS is part of CBS Corp., and NBC is a unit of General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal.

"Google TV enables access to all the Web content you already get today on your phone and PC, but it is ultimately the content owners' choice to restrict their fans from accessing their content on the platform," a Google spokeswoman said in a statement.

The move marks an escalation in ongoing disputes between Google and some media companies, which are skeptical that Google can provide a business model that would compensate them for potentially cannibalizing existing broadcast businesses.

Over the summer, Google pressed major media companies to optimize their websites and videos to work more seamlessly with Google TV. Some outlets, including Time Warner Inc.'s HBO and Turner Broadcasting networks, did so. Even NBC Universal's CNBC embraced the service, optimizing some content to work specifically on Google TV.

But many other companies declined to specifically optimize their websites, and some held out the possibility that they could block their content from the service, as the three networks are now doing. Some TV executives said they were worried their shows would be lost in the larger Internet. Some, including Disney and NBC, were also concerned about Google's stance on websites that offer pirated content, according to people familiar with their thinking.

Disney executives, for example, asked that Google filter out results from pirate sites when users search for Disney content, like "Desperate Housewives." But they were unsatisfied with Google's response, according to people familiar with the conversations.

News Corp.'s Fox Broadcasting and Viacom Inc.'s MTV aren't blocking Google TV from playing episodes on their websites, according to a spot check Thursday. Spokespeople for Fox and MTV confirmed they are not currently blocking Google TV, but the Fox spokeswoman said "a firm decision has not yet been reached." News Corp. also owns The Wall Street Journal.

For its part, Google has tried to assure broadcasters and content owners such as Disney that Google TV's search feature is optimized to promote their TV broadcasts and own websites' video content rather than pirated content, according to a person familiar with the matter.

In addition, Google has also told broadcasters and content owners they can submit requests to Google to delete unauthorized results from the Google TV search feature, just like they do for results in Google's traditional Web search engine, this person said.

Some shows—from siblings of the networks that are blocking their content—were working on Google TV on Thursday. Shows from the CW network, which is jointly owned by CBS and Time Warner, appear to play on Google TV, as do some from Lifetime, a cable channel jointly owned by Walt Disney Co., Hearst Inc., and NBC Universal.

Google won't directly make money from the sale of the Google TV software, but the software's use will benefit Google's ad-supported Web search engine and is expected to increase viewership of the ad-supported YouTube site, which is owned by Google. The company also has been in talks with Madison Avenue's media-buying firms to discuss how to sell ads on the Google TV interface without interfering with TV commercials, people familiar with the matter have said.

But the three networks are also not alone in blocking their content. Video site Hulu, whose owners include Disney, NBC Universal and News Corp., also blocks its video from being played through the Google TV interface. Spokeswomen for both Hulu and Google said the companies are in talks to bring the Hulu Plus subscription service to Google TV.

Comcast's iTV Making a Big Impression with Advertisers

Kansas City Star

More than 160 Advertisers Have Put iTV to work to Reach, Engage & Connect with Consumers

 

With businesses of all sizes looking for more accountability and efficiency from their marketing efforts, Comcast Spotlight is leading the way: its interactive television (iTV) advertising platform is now available to advertisers in more than 30 U.S. markets, reaching more than 10 million homes.

Comcast Spotlight’s request for information (RFI) technology enables advertisers to place an overlay, or banner, on a 30- or 60-second commercial, prompting viewers to press a button on their remote controls to receive materials from the advertiser or to be contacted by the advertiser about the product or service featured in the ad.

“The message from clients couldn’t be clearer: more than ever, their focus is on the return on their marketing investment,” said Kevin Smith, Group Vice President, Spotlight Integrated Media Sales. “Combining qualified leads and accountability with cable television’s reach and ability to efficiently segment audiences makes spot advertising an even more powerful tool.”

To date, more than 160 advertisers have run a total of more than 340 RFI-enabled advertising campaigns with Comcast Spotlight, delivering nearly 280 million impressions.

Clients using RFI to connect with customers include Idelle Management Company. Marc Broccoli, Marketing Director, Hair Care, for Idelle said, “It’s important that we engage our customers with product trial and sampling. Comcast Spotlight’s RFI platform is an innovative technology that enabled us to connect quickly and cost-effectively with our audience, distributing more than 20,000 samples to targeted Chicago consumers in less than one month. We’re looking forward to expanding the campaign to additional markets.”

Regional advertisers also have found great success with RFI. Rebecca Barker, Media and Communications Manager for the city of Joliet, IL, explains how the technology has helped the city boost its tourism marketing efforts: “Joliet began using RFI in our 2010 television campaign and continues to be overwhelmed at the amount of response and logistical information our campaign has been able to generate with this unique and easy-to-use method. RFI works perfectly for our campaign, as one of the main goals is to get viewers to request a free visitor magazine. With RFI, one click is all it takes for our goals to be fulfilled.”

Chicago Rockford International Airport used Comcast’s RFI technology to offer discounted tickets to consumers. Acting Marketing, PR and Communications Manager Geoffrey A. Oman says, “RFD was excited to be a part of this new technology and we put a lot of effort into making sure that the program accomplished its goals. We were able to get both exposure and measurable action from a medium that typically has been all about exposure.”

Proving itself as a powerful new tool for political advertisers, RFI also has the potential to connect with prospective voters. California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman has used RFI offer viewers the opportunity to receive a bumper sticker or to be contacted by phone about volunteering for the campaign.

“We believe in cable as a valuable targeted medium on its own, but when we added video on demand and interactive TV to the campaign, our targeting had increased impact,” said Kyle Roberts of Smart Media Group. “RFI overlays generated over 2,000 requests for a free bumper sticker and over 8,000 volunteer leads for the Whitman campaign. Given that this is new technology, we were excited about the level of engagement and conversion. We are continuing to utilize RFI and looking to extend to all Comcast Spotlight platforms for the general election.”

RFI technology also has been used to make a difference in the lives of children looking for a permanent home. In July, Comcast Spotlight, the Ad Council and AdoptUsKids began airing public service announcements in Chicago with an interactive overlay offering viewers the opportunity to request that information about adopting children currently living in foster care be mailed to their homes. Following a successful Chicago pilot, the RFI-enabled campaign is in the process of rolling out to nearly 20 additional markets over the remainder of the year including San Francisco, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami, Detroit, Nashville and others.

“Leveraging Comcast Spotlight’s iTV platform is a wonderful opportunity to further engage our audiences,” said Peggy Conlon, President and CEO of the Ad Council. “After seeing the response from Comcast’s support of our Adoption campaign in Chicago this summer, we’re looking forward to bringing the campaign to more cities in the upcoming months.”

In addition to RFI, Comcast Spotlight’s expanding iTV advertising product lineup includes remind record and telescoping. Remind record is an overlay on a commercial that provides information about an upcoming television program. By clicking their remotes while the overlay appears on-screen, viewers can quickly and easily program their digital video recorders (DVRs) to record a program or all episodes of a series. For digital cable customers without DVRs, an on-screen reminder can be programmed to appear shortly before the scheduled program airs.

Comcast Spotlight also is beginning a companywide rollout of its video-on-demand (VOD) telescoping application, enabling viewers to click a button on their remote to either immediately begin watching a VOD program related to the content of advertised in the traditional TV commercial, or to “bookmark” that VOD program to watch at their convenience later.

Logitech To Create First Google TV Set-Top Box In Fall 2010

HotHardWare

Google managed to score quite a few big partners with their Google TV launch, with Intel and Sony being two key partners in moving the technology forward into the mainstream. But for those who don't want to purchase any entirely new television this fall with a CE4100 processor and the Google TV app onboard, they'll need a set-top box to connect to their existing setup. For that, there's Logitech.

This whole situation feels a little bit like when Microsoft first launched "Extenders for Windows Media Center" at CEDIA a few years ago, but those boxes eventually failed and are pretty much relics today. Google's hoping to have a lot more success with their own STB, with Logitech selected to be the first out of the gate. The details on the box have yet to be fully revealed, but it's pretty clear what it will do. You'll connect the box to your existing HDTV, and then the Google TV platform will come to life via the internal hardware within the sleek, small black shell.

No price points were discussed either, but consumers were told that it will be compatible with existing Logitech Harmony remotes and it will ship with a few accessories, too. A compact keyboard, remote control and touch pad, to be specific. Logitech will also be responsible for a few more Google TV-related accessories, including an "an HDTV camera for video conferencing, and specialized apps that allow you to turn your smartphone into a Google TV controller." Expect the box to launch alongside the service this Fall.