Viacom Nixes Google TV Access, Web Streaming Options Dwindling
Add Viacom to the growing list of networks blocking access to online streaming content from Google TV. With News Corp, NBC Universal, Disney, and CBS already tuned out of Google’s TV interface that wants to change the way we watch the tube and we are left with only Time Warner and TBS offering any streaming content accessible via GTV. Google TV is now gimped out of the box, and it’s at no fault of the search giant and its hardware partners.
The latest block, which includes access to shows from Comedy Central, MTV, and more, highlights the alarming trend. What networks are so afraid of is hard to understand. After all, how different is accessing content from Google TV than from a PC? It really should be all the same to the networks, but I get the feeling the problem lies in the presentation itself. Google TV allows users to access streaming content on a television set, something that just doesn’t sit right with media conglomerates who equate the TV with a much different revenue stream than its online counterpart.
Here is hoping the media companies come to their senses, but it is looking worse and worse every day. It’s a real shame to see networks trying kill off Google TV before they even gave it a chance to prove itself.
[via CrunchGear]