Google creates website templates for Google TV

The Google TV team published a couple of new design templates, as well as a still-in-beta Web UI library that Web designers can use to optimize their sites for Google TV.

Blockage of such "less-than-ideal" sites could actually have been what caused Google TV to have such a disappointing launch in the first place.

Within the first month of the service's availability on the Logitech Revue set top box, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, and Viacom all made their websites unavailable to Google TV. The idea was that this would limit users' access to only the sites that the content providers designed specifically for Google TV.

If you're a Web designer, you now have some easy tools to rebuild your video site with a pre-made "10-foot UI" for Google TV. All of the templates are open sourced under the Apache 2 license, and they support sites that utilize HTML5, JavaScript, CSS and Flash.

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PlayOn banned from Roku

PlayOn is client software that turns a game console into a digital video player, allowing consumers to access certain online video sites such as YouTube, Amazon VOD, and others. One site that you won't get access to, however, is Netflix. Here's the article from electronista:

Fearing legal repercussions, Roku Developer Program Manager Patrick announced on the company's official forums that PlayOn-compatible channels have been removed and can no longer be added. Those who already subscribed to the channel may be able to keep it, though for how long isn't known. Roku says this is because neither Roku nor the developer of the channel are affiliated with PlayOn.

For now, Roku remains as a streaming option on PlayOn's website. PlayOn offers streaming content from Hulu, Comedy Central, Spike, PBS, ESPN, CBS, ESPN3, Nickelodeon, TBS and BET. The first year costs $40, with every year after that priced at $20.

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Can I rely solely on Internet streams to replace traditional TV? Netflix says yes, while the studios say no

Here are a couple of news items that show both sides of the potential "cord-cutting" story.

First, Netflix is reported to be trialing a streaming-only plan, costing $7.99 a month. Or, is it $8.99 a month?

At the same time, the studios are taking a harder stance to the availability of ad-supported streams of television shows, reports the Associated Press. Broadcasters took a big step toward eliminating free TV shows on the Web after they blocked access to their programming online this month to enforce their demands to be paid.

Recent actions by Fox, ABC, NBC and CBS in two separate fee disputes suggest that after a few years of experimenting with free, ad-supported viewing, broadcasters believe they can make more money from cable-TV providers if they hold back some programming online.

And, the rumor du joir regarding Hulu is that its Hulu Plus service fee may be cut in half, to $4.95 per month.

CBS, the NCAA Basketball Tournament, and Online Advertising

If The Wall Street Journal starts running "Peanuts," it wouldn't shock me. After all, the paper has added a sports section, which is a pretty interesting read.

Today's paper discusses the 11-year, $6 billion deal that CBS made with the NCAA to air the men's basketball tournament, noting that CBS was smart enough to get the rights to air content on new media platforms such as mobile phones and the Internet (in addition to distribution deals wtih DirecTV and CBS College Sports, a cable network run by the company.

The buzz for those of us stuck at the office next Thursday and Friday will of course be CBS' March Madness on Demand, where video from every game will be streamed. CBS says that it expects advertisising revenues for its online video to grow to $30 million, up from $23 million last year. To put this in perspective, advertisers spent $643.2 million on the men's tournament on CBS in 2008, up 23.8% from $519.6 million in 2007.