Google Starts New Video Trial

Sponsored Video On Google (screenshot)Thanks to Burger King, I’m having a mini “Rocky and Bullwinkle” festival. It’s the latest twist at Google Video, where sponsored streaming video debuted Thursday. (BK is also the sponsor behind the Fox downloads/streaming via MySpace.com.) The move fits in with what CBS Digital’s Larry Kramer had to say here recently about Google Video’s efforts to move to the next level. So far, the CBS video on Google is still for sale only although video from CSTV, a CBS network, is part of the trial. Charlie Rose shows, part of the Google Video Marketplace launch at $0.99, are now sponsored by HP’s “personal again” campaign.
The trial includes some sports, news, some episodic TV and movies (does “Judge Wapner’s Animal Court Special Collection” really count?) I couldn’t get the video to go full screen; not sure if that’s an intentional limititation.
WSJ: “Videos now accessible for free include movies such as Charlie Chaplin classics that previously cost 99 cents, episodes of the Mr. Magoo cartoon series that had cost $1.99 and wrestling matches that were $4.95. Small graphical ads for advertisers including Burger King and Netflix appear above the videos, with short video commercials for them at the end of featured video content. Google said that fewer than 10 advertisers were currently involved in the test.”
NYT: “After the test, Google said it intends to run auctions where advertisers must place a bid to have their ads displayed on each video. The advertising revenue will be split with the video owner, Google said.”
Update: One more thought — can a beta really have a trial?

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