Google to Shutter Online Video Store

MOUNTAIN VIEW, August 13: This week, Google is set to stop
selling and renting video content on its Google Video site, a year and a half
since the service first launched.

Last January, Google Video launched its online marketplace
with partners such as CBS, NBC and ITN. Titles on offer included Survivor and The Amazing Race, among others, for $1.99 per episode. The move sees
the company, which owns popular video sharing site YouTube, shifting its focus
to an ad-supported strategy that offers content for free. Paid content will
cease being available on the site as of August 15. The content previously
purchased by users from the site will no longer be viewable as of that date. As
such, Google is offering refunds in the forms of credits to be used on its online
payment service, Checkout.