Google may jump into the online TV game with a YouTube-based service
Another day, another streaming media service.
Google is reportedly readying its entry into the online TV industry with a YouTube service by the name of "Unplugged," which would feature a skinny bundle of TV channels.
Don't get too excited, as the new service is not terribly close to being ready. YouTube has no deals with any of the major TV production companies, according to Bloomberg, which first reported the service.
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Google would be a major addition to what is becoming a very crowded field of companies vying to bring TV to consumers directly over the Internet.
Just a few days ago, news broke that Hulu would be launching an online bundle of TV channels. Hulu confirmed those reports at its Newfront presentation on Wednesday.
Hulu -- and Google, assuming it actually happens -- join Dish TV and Sony, which respectively offer Sling TV and Playstation Vue. Apple has reportedly also been working toward offering an online TV product.
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A YouTube spokesperson said: "We don't comment on rumor or speculation."
YouTube's media ambitions have been growing in the past couple years. It's biggest move came in October 2015 with the launch of YouTube Red, its subscription service that also wrapped in streaming music and original video.
There's still a chance that YouTube is unable to strike the distribution deals necessary to launch the service. Bloomberg reported that it hopes to include broadcast networks as part of the package, a particularly difficult proposition as it requires working with a variety of local affiliates throughout the country.
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Jason Abbruzzese is a Business Reporter at Mashable. He covers the media and telecom industries with a particular focus on how the Internet is changing these markets and impacting consumers. Prior to working at Mashable, Jason served as Markets Reporter and Web Producer at the Financial Times. Jason holds a B.S. in Journalism from Boston University and an M.A. in International Affairs from Australian National University.
