Google Inc is on an innovative spree. After digitising libraries, launching free Internet-telephone through its website, it is now tuning into the world's favourite medium: television.
In an effort to take Internet search beyond the web search, Google will provide a search engine for television program online from January 25, said reports.
The search engine will be available as a separate link on the Google home page, which will enable users to source content from television programs using its popular Internet search technology.
Initially, Internet users can view images broadcast on channels like ABC, PBS, Fox News and C-SPAN.
Starting with these channels, Google hopes to have all TV programming indexed in the long run.
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Google plans to display relevant video images from television programs, as well as snippets from the show's narrative. The search results also will provide relevant information on the program content, when the program was aired and when an episode is scheduled to be repeated.
According to analysts, Google's latest innovation is likely to disappoint many users as it doesn't provide a direct link to watch the previously broadcast programming.
This latest offering reaffirms Google's strategy to reach out to the users with information from all mediums, Web, books or television.
If this new service clicks well with people, then television program makers will facilitate better online access to their content, analysts say.
In the race to webcast television content, Google is not alone.
Other search engines have shifted focus to video searching by providing links to actual video clips. Serach engines like Yahoo, 'alltheweb', 'altavista' have been providing searches for video clips.
Yahoo has been aggressively promoting its video search tools by linking to the service from the home page.
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