Google: Bigger than the networks?

Google is working on what I believe to be the future of television and video.

A recent announcement in the NYTimes about the content deals that Google put together got me thinking about their ad network inventory.

What if Google used this inventory to start displaying unique and exclusive video content?

Similar to how they are experimenting now with Google video ads, they could start having advertising blocks that simply allow a viewer to “tune-in” to the Google Channel that would represent the days, weeks, or months, worth of content. At any given time Google could effectively broadcast out a show that could decimate the highest rated shows out there right now – and track viewers.

This might be the single most important play that Google will pull off. If you think about the reach that Google has right now with webmasters who have already implemented the Google code on their site (which is the hardest part of any ad network distribution) it is insurmountable.

Google could effectively flip a switch turning themselves into a video network larger than the current networks combined. Now would they do this? probably not, given the content deals, ad deals, and revenue this would leave on the table from the networks right now.

But why not cut deals for show distribution?

They could effectively target and run on an entire channel of sites a single prime-time show (with advertising somewhere mixed in) and get a viewer ship higher than the biggest night of ratings to date.

The best part about this play would be the ability to track and measure who watched. These metrics coupled with user data from Google user accounts could effectively give the best demographic and geographic data available back to the Network than even the detailed Nielson reports.

This information may be worth showing the video\show\movie without any commercials at all!

I am not saying this will happen tomorrow, but you have to wonder with everything going on, people they are hiring, something big will happen.

Agree? Disagree? Lets start a discussion…leave a comment!

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