Earlier this year Google made a big splash when they added a video clip search to their battery of search tools, yet in all fairness, Yahoo did beat them to the punch. Nevertheless, we began to ponder just what this service was really aiming for, and we even fantasized a bit about a searchable database of full TV shows that could possibly be streamed on demand.

Then, last week Google posted a job description that made it sound like they were heading slowly but surely into the TV realm. The posting, which has now been removed, read (in part):

You will identify key market trends that are shaping user behavior when watching Television. These include but not limited to the intersection of Internet and Television technologies, Video-On-Demand, Personal Video Recorders and emergence of next generation set-top-boxes with IP connectivity. You will then identify areas where use of Google's search and advertising technology can enhance this user experience and define appropriate products to deliver these user benefits. You will work with UI designers and software engineers to conceptualize and develop these features. As part of this role, you may also be required to interact with strategic partners in the telecom and cable segments across the world. As part of these interactions you will be required to present product and business strategy to senior executives at these companies and work with them to deploy these products in their network.

And this brings us to today's announcement that Google and UPN would be providing exclusive online access to the series premiere of "Everybody Hates Chris." If you're like us and still wondering why DirecTV doesn't carry UPN, you'll be able to watch the entire pilot via streaming video until this Thursday, September 29. Also in the announcement were additional enhancements to the Google Video service, including support for Macintosh and Linux users, in-browser video controls, and search results displayed as playable video thumbnails.

It also looks like Google is using Flash to deliver content, which allows users to view high-quality video without needing to download a separate media player. A VLC-derived browser plugin was used during the Google Video debut, but switching to Flash means being able to tap into its near-100 percent installed base. With Flash 8's video capabilities, Google's adoption of the format might help make it the method of choice for video on the Web.

The ease and popularity of podcasts, blogs, and other Web-accessible media has lowered the barriers to entry to becoming an independent news or entertainment source, but video has yet to take off; the main difficulty being the the immense amounts of bandwith and storage space needed. It's been an obstacle that media corporations with deep pockets have been able to overcome, but now that Google's in the mix, that video of your first piano recital might be rubbing shoulders with mainstream network shows. With video on demand services, P2P applications such as BitTorrent, and now Google, is the television industry looking like a less important node of content distribution?