Google TV Will Not Partner with Major Networks

Google (News - Alert) announced on Monday its first set of launch partners for its upcoming Google TV service, which will be rolled out later this month on select Sony HD televisions and Logitech (News - Alert) set top boxes.

While the search engine giant will collaborate with several high-profile Internet companies and media outlets -- including Amazon, HBO, Netflix and Turner Broadcasting (News - Alert) -- it seems that the company failed to convince the major television networks that the venture will be a success.

ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox all declined to participate in the new service, which will attempt to merge Internet content and television programming into a single medium. However, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that a number of media companies passed on the opportunity to partner with Google because of fears that the service would cut into their own broadcast offerings. 

James L. McQuivey, a principal analyst at Forrester (News - Alert), a technology research firm, told the New York Times that the partnerships are "underwhelming," although they are still a good first step for Google TV.

“They don’t actually need content partners to start their little revolution,” he said. “They don’t need the major broadcasters to play along because they can do a lot of cool things with you as a viewer without having to share any of the money.”

Consumers who purchase a Google TV-enabled device will be able to browse the web while watching programs offered by participating content providers. Users will also be able to download certain apps directly onto their television sets. The company has announced that Twitter, Napster and Pandora (News - Alert) have all signed on.

Logitech and Sony will each conduct press conferences within the next two weeks to provide more details on launch dates and expected services. It is still unclear how much the devices will cost.

A recent Forrester report suggested that the Internet-enabled television market is expected to increase substantially over the next five years. During that time, the number of households owning Web-connected TVs should rise from around 2 million to more than 43 million, according to the news source.

Beecher Tuttle is a Web Editor for TMCnet. He has extensive experience writing and editing for print publications and online news websites. He has specialized in a variety of industries, including health care technology, politics and education. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Tammy Wolf