Google TV Announces Underwhelming Roster Of Programming Partners

As Google TV readies to launch in the coming weeks, the company has finally announced its initial slate of programming partners — and it’s not exactly thrilling reading.

In a blog post from earlier today, a Google TV exec tried to make the most out of a ho-hum list of media partners, none of which includes the major broadcast networks.

The biggest fish in the Google TV pond is HBO, which is bringing its HBO Go online service to Google TV. Of course, you have to be an HBO subscriber to access this content. And it’s unclear from the statement whether or not this would now open up HBO Go to all HBO subscribers; it is currently only available to Comcast and Verizon FiOS customers.

In terms of basic cable content, Turner Broadcasting will make online content — though it’s very vague on the topic of how much or exactly what kind — from TBS, TNT, CNN, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, available through Google TV.

While you still need to go to NBC.com or Hulu to watch 30 Rock online, NBC Universal is bringing something called CNBC Real-Time, which “allows you to track your favorite stocks and access news feeds while enjoying the best financial news from CNBC directly on the TV screen.”

And then there’s standard stuff, like being able to rent movies from Amazon or stream Netflix offerings.

So basically, this is all like hooking up your computer to your TV.

Google TV will be built into new Sony high-definition televisions and Blu-ray players, and into a Logitech set-top box.

Here comes Google TV [GoogleTV blog]

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