November 4th, 2005
Will Google buy TiVo? Here's how it could make sense
That’s not as an outlandish idea as it might sound. In fact, columnist Rick Aristotle Munarriz of the investing news and advice site The Motley Fool mentions TiVo first in a list of companies he thinks "may be in the process of dolling temselves up in frnt of the dressing room mirror because they can hear Google pulling up in the driveway."
Let me expand on what Rick is proposing with my own schematic on how this might work.
The killer app for Google would be TiVo’s ability to track the exact location from where you are recording your programs, as well as what programs you are recording. So, picture Google pushing AdWords or AdSense ads to your tv.
It would have to be done unobtrusively, but here is one way I think that model could work. TiVo knows, for example, that you are in stylish Marin County just north of San Francisco, and are set to record an HGTV program on home restoration.
So maybe they can embed an ad for local home restoration services that would appear as a separate window as the show ends. Or maybe this could be delivered as a contextual ad that would be appended to your feed- as an opt-in option. One incentive for Google-owned TiVo subscribers to opt in; knock a few bucks off the monthly subscription fee. Or, for that matter, drop the sub fee altogether.
A Google-owned TiVo could work with advertisers to serve up a customized one-to-one "specials" channel based on individual users location and viewing habits. Then, a local Google sales force would go out and sell TiVo AdWords or AdSense placements to advertisers who want to reach selected audiences such as everyone in Marin County zip codes who has taped an HGTV program within the past week or month.
The more I think of this idea, the more I like it. You? TalkBack and let me know if you would:
Subscribe to a Google-owned TiVo if you are not already?
Elect to receive Google ads via your TiVo in exhange for a free or discounted TiVo monthly sub?
Are an existing TiVo subscriber but would be so chagrined by this service that you would cancel because of privacy or other concerns.
Russell Shaw is an enterprise computing journalist, analyst and author based in Portland, Oregon. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
