Google has decided that they will now look to provide customers with an internet-based cable TV service. However, before they can offer such a service, they would have to strike a deal with the many content providers out there — Comcast and Time Warner to name a few.
According to Brian Stelter of NYT, Google, by deciding to compete directly with cable companies, “is taking a different tack than its rival Apple, which has been trying a more collaborative approach with both channel owners and their distributors on a TV offering.”
Although Google looks to offer a more traditional cable experience to its users, it is important to remember that YouTube is currently owned by Google, and it should be understood that if the internet giant were to get involved with TV, a new dynamic will follow.
Not only would there be a new dynamic in content, but there will also be a change in the way cable business is done in the first place. As you probably know, cable is offered by region. If Google were to bring cable TV to the internet, then the competitors will soon follow suit, and suddenly cable providers will soon be competing for the first time.
Google is not the only search engine to explore new ground. Just recently Yahoo bought the blogging site Tublr, which has seen some controversy regarding the posting of adult content.
Casey Newton of The Verge: “Tumblr has quietly stopped indexing adult-oriented blogs in search engines and in Tumblr’s internal searches, a move that has raised new questions about whether the popular blogging service will crack down on porn in the wake of its acquisition by Yahoo.”
Although it may be more difficult to find adult content, Tumblr CEO David Karp, on the Colbert Report, made it clear that he is not in the business of deciding if users’ content is appropriate. “Look, we’ve taken a pretty hard line on freedom of speech, supporting our users, creation, whatever that looks like, and it’s just not something that we want to police.”
And if you’re out there on Tumblr viewing those naughty pictures, you can always decide to follow the Pope (@Pontifex) on Twitter, because the Catholic Church announced this that they will be rewarding indulgences his followers. Follow the Pope on Twitter, and spend less time in Purgatory!
Happy Tweeting!