TV Guide for Internet Video: From Gemstar-TV Guide International

Gemstar-TV Guide International Inc. has announced that they are currently developing a test version of their guide for internet video. They aim to release this test version sometime next month.

This engine would allow web users to keep track of clips and full episodes of TV shows now being posted on the Web.

The final version of such a service is expected to be launched later this year in September. The company has no plans to include homemade videos in such a listing as they plan to concentrate on about 60 Web sites from major networks such as ABC and Fox and other video portals such as AOL and Google. They would list network and original programming produced by major media companies.

Richard Cusick, senior vice president of digital media at Gemstar-TV Guide spoke on this new initiative: “Everybody says, ‘Who’s going to be the TV Guide of online video?’ and we say, why shouldn’t it be us? We’re making a bet, but we think it’s a safe bet and consistent with our mission.”

They plan to make revenues from online advertising and licensing the engine to other companies. Rob Enderle, a technology analyst spoke on this development: “If they don’t want to become obsolete, they have to get into the search business. Today, TV Guide can be better. But fast-forward two years from now, and you wonder if TV Guide has the resources to compete with Google long term.”