— The three major broadcast networks, uneasy about viewers bypassing
cable and satellite providers — and the networks’ own websites — to
watch their TV shows, have begun blocking a new service from
“Dancing With the Stars” and “Parks and Recreation,” a move aimed at
forestalling the technology giant’s entry into the living room.
Google TV seeks to marry the Internet with
television by allowing viewers to search the Web for shows and then
watch them on their TV sets. The technology is designed to make it
easier for people to watch TV shows when they want, rather than be at
the mercy of network schedules or sift through the Web to find shows on
the networks’ own websites.
But the networks worry that providing consumers with
direct access — via the Internet — to popular shows would undercut the
economics that support the industry. The networks fear, among other
things, that Google TV could disrupt advertising and encourage people
to discontinue their cable TV service. Cable providers pay billions in
fees to carry the programming of the networks’ co-owned cable channels.
Others have cited fears that Google TV would fuel piracy by letting viewers access bootleg streams of TV shows on the Internet.
“Google TV enables access to all the Web content you already get today on your phone and PC,”
said in a statement. “But it is ultimately the content owner’s choice
to restrict their fans from accessing their content on the platform.”
to pursue talks with the networks. It also is in discussions with Hulu
about bringing the Hulu Plus subscription service to the platform —
which would give Google TV users access to full-length episodes of
shows from
prevent people from watching the shows online because simple
workarounds, such as hooking up a laptop to the TV set, can accomplish
the same thing.
“This doesn’t stop people from watching online content on their televisions,” McQuivey said. “It just frustrates them.”
Some content providers have sought to work with
plans to offer HBO Go — which allows people who already pay for HBO on
cable or satellite to watch shows online — through Google TV.
say cable operators historically have done a poor job helping viewers
navigate hundreds of channels of TV shows or movies. Google TV could
fill that niche by expeditiously producing a list of sites where
viewers could see their favorite shows.
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