Want to find an old Monty Python clip? Or watch a Mr. Bean sketch? Odds are that you can do so at Google Video, even though the BBC never gave its permission. This story isn't about some impending lawsuit, though - reports indicate that "the Beeb" wants to strike a deal with Google and make even more content available.
Those British comedies may show up on one other site, as well. According to the
Guardian Unlimited, "It is understood that BBC executives are keen that the deal, which involves BBC Worldwide and the BBC, is eventually expanded to include putting content on Google-owned YouTube."
Regardless of YouTube's involvement, though, this looks like a great development for users. With the BBC's stamp of approval, Google Video might increasingly feature full episodes instead of just 2- or 3-minute clips from shows. And the video quality itself might improve. But don't expect to see banner headlines on Google Video announcing the deal.
Oliver Ryan noted that it's actually kind of inconsequential from the search engine company's perspective, but is "further evidence of the aggressive, commercial attitude among the Beeb's new media lot."
"Close readers," Ryan continued, "will recall that the quasi-public government monopoly launched a competition to redesign its web site last fall, and that more recently it began running ads on its site . . . ."
Confirmation of a deal between the BBC and Google should come in the near future. The Guardian Unlimited reported that "[t]he two companies are expected to announce the agreement to coincide with a trip by the Google chief executive, Eric Schmidt, to the World Economic Forum in
Davos on Wednesday."
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Tag:
Google Video,
BBC
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