Google still seeks TV partner, report says

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The hunt is still on for Web giant Google to find a willing television partner, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.

The Journal said the company, which bought YouTube for $1.7 billion four months ago, has been aggressively courting various television networks in order to distribute their content on the popular online video site.

Up until a month ago, it looked like Google (Charts) may have found its match with CBS (Charts) in a deal that would have allowed YouTube viewers to watch shows like "CSI" and "The Late Show With David Letterman" and guaranteed the television network more than $500 million in ad revenue, the Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter.

But the multiyear deal seems to have fizzled, according to people involved, as both companies were unable to reach an agreement on how long the deal would run. The Journal said that while talks may be revived at a later date, for now it's another blow to Google.

Google continues to face legal roadblocks from big-name networks such as CBS and General Electric's (Charts) NBC, which claim YouTube is infringing on copyrighted material and have ordered it to remove unauthorized videos.

In the meantime, media networks have been actively pursuing their own video sites, including Disney's (Charts) ABC, which offers viewers the chance to watch popular shows like "Lost" and "Ugly Betty" online.

The stalemate with the television networks is a challenge for Google, which hopes to move beyond its role as a Web search engine and sell more advertising, the Journal reported.

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