Two weeks ago it may have been difficult to find videos on the Internet of deep-space investigation, concerts by University of California symphonies and vivid performances by Middle Eastern dance ensembles.
Now, these videos constitute only a small part of more than 1,000 hours of UC Television programming available on the free Google Video service. An agreement between UCTV and Internet search-engine giant Google Inc., which the UC announced on Wednesday, has made this possible.
UCTV’s programming constitutes the largest collection of educational video content on Google Video, providing information on subjects such as public affairs, science, health and medicine, humanities and the arts.
“Finding reliable, accurate content on the Internet is so important today, and we know UCTV’s content will meet this need for Google Video’s users,” said UCTV Director Lynn Burnstan.
UCTV is a 24-hour public-service satellite channel that features interviews, lectures, documentaries and performances as well as discussions of educational issues, with guests ranging from scientists to CEOs.
The channel broadcasts programming from the UC’s 10 campuses, the three national laboratories managed by the UC for the federal government and other university-affiliated institutions.
UCTV content is currently available to more than 16 million households nationwide via Direct Broadcast Satellite and Dish Network channel 9412. The channel is also available through the cable provided in UCLA on-campus housing.
Google Video is currently the largest service through which videos can be uploaded, distributed and viewed on demand by users, Google spokesman Nathan Tyler said.
The service allows people to watch and buy high-quality video content, which Tyler said works toward Google’s mission to “organize all the world’s information.”
Internet users everywhere can now access videos of content ranging from detailed scenes of surgery to colorful dances and performances by UC student groups.
UCTV programming has been available on Google Video for two weeks, and the channel is hoping to eventually double the available content to include the over 2,000 hours of programming currently in UCTV databases, UCTV Communication Manager Alison Gang said.
The channel is working as quickly as possible to add the content to Google Video, Gang said. She did not say whether there is a specific date by which this will be completed.
Gang said UCTV hopes the association with Google Video will make people more aware of the channel and the UC while providing valuable information for Internet users.
While Google Video is the only online video service to receive UCTV content so far, the channel is considering offering its content to other services, such as Yahoo and AOL, as expansion becomes possible, Gang said.