Google Inc. has tweaked its Google Video Web site, adding a video blog that spotlights one amateur video daily, but it still relies on free, submitted videos rather than acquired programming.
The Internet search giant has also added two tabs to the Google Video site (www.video.google.com) — one lists “popular videos” in eight thumbnails of still images, and a second features eight random videos.
Google drew much attention from the television and new media industries in September, when it announced an agreement with Viacom Inc.'s UPN to place the entire premiere episode of the network's Everybody Hates Chris comedy on Google Video.
The UPN deal was aimed at marketing the second episode of the Chris Rock series, and the premiere ran for less than a week on Google Video. It was pulled shortly before the debut of the second episode.
Google Video contains mostly random videos submitted by Web surfers. The company allows anyone with a digital camcorder and a computer to upload an unlimited amount of video content to its servers for free.
Last week, “popular” videos listed on Google Video included a short clip of a teenager dropping a tube of Mentos candy into a two-liter bottle of Diet Coke (the soda overflows from the bottle, as if one shook it). That was from Joshuawise.com. Another was a clip of a dog fighting its own hind leg: it was labeled, “the dumbest dog you'll ever see.”
Google Video doesn't rank the popular videos listed on the Web site. It's not clear how the videos are selected. Google officials didn't return calls last week.
The first entry on the Google Video Blog (http://Googlevideo.blogspot.com) was dated Nov. 17. The blog, hosted by Google's Blogger unit, features one new video daily.
Videos on the blog range from a clip of a man who films himself dancing in public places around the world — from India to Vietnam to Mexico — and a clip of rock band The White Stripes appearing on NBC's The Late Show With Conan O'Brien, via MVWire.com.
Internet analyst Will Richmond described Google Video as “very much a work in progress,” and still officially a beta site. But the head of Broadband Directions said he expects Google eventually will deliver personalized video content to Web surfers.
“It's too early to tell, but there may be ways for [Google] to create more personalized video services that would create sponsorship opportunities,” Richmond said.
