Search engine Google Inc. recently launched an Australian version of its video hosting site, Google Video, which will include content from domestic media groups.
The site follows will offer video snippets posted by the public as well as material from media companies including the Australian Broadcasting Corp., television’s Network Ten television and newspaper company Fairfax Digital.
This will include television programs, news updates and entertainment.
Initially, user-generated and professional content would be ad-free and available for download at no cost, said Richard Kimber, Google’s managing director of Southeast Asia. Kimber said Australian demand for Google’s online video service had grown dramatically.
The technology has become accessible and increasing bandwidth has made it easy for people to express themselves and share their content with one another.
But Google might later go for a pay-for downloads model and introduce an advertising revenue sharing system similar to that used on other areas of Google sites.
"There are various models we could pursue and different advertisers will want to try different things," Kimber said. "But we do not like interruption media, so any advertisements would have to be relevant and integrate nicely with the user experience."
We have developed a locally tailored version of Google Video especially for Australian users, and we are excited to be working with Australian content providers and advertisers to help them reach a global online audience.
“We have a very strong list of content providers at launch and this is clear evidence of the demand in the Australian market for an online video service powered by Google.”
Google Video allows users to upload and download video and share it with other users as well post media to blog sites such as MySpace.
Google has also formed local partnerships with Australian Film TV and Radio School, Film Australia and SonyBMG to distribute local video content.
It currently competes with other popular video providers such as YouTube.