Credit: Paweł Czerwiński Broadcaster and ISP British Sky Broadcasting Group (BSkyB) has asked Google to host e-mail and other services for its broadband customers in the United Kingdom. Their collaboration could also lead to the creation of targeted TV ads. Google Screenshot Google will run mail services for users with addresses @sky.com, host a portal for user-generated video content and deliver targeted search advertising on BSkyB’s websites, the companies said Wednesday.In time, that targeted advertising could appear on TV, in the same way that Google is developing advertising sales platforms for broadcast radio and even print media.The digital video recorders that BSkyB offers subscribers to its Sky satellite TV channels are already able to deliver targeted advertising, although the company does not yet use that capability, according to BSkyB spokesman Robert Fraser. “Sky is already very tuned in to the potential of delivering more targeted ads to TV users,” he said. “We will work together with Google to deliver targeted ads.”The companies have set no timetable to introduce such a service, though: “It’s an area for future development,” he said. While BSkyB’s business revolves mainly around broadcasting professionally produced content, the deal with Google will take it into new territory: The companies also plan to build a video portal featuring content generated by Sky subscribers. It will run on systems developed by Google for its Google Video portal, but will be branded as a Sky service, the companies said. The video portal will allow Sky customers to see only content posted by other Sky customers, said Google spokesman DJ Collins. However, content posted by Sky users will also be visible to other users of the YouTube service that Google acquired in November, he said.Analysts at Ovum said that user-generated content is an essential element of any portal. But they wondered why BSkyB isn’t making use of MySpace.com, which also belongs to News Corp., the parent company of BSkyB.BSkyB began life as a satellite TV broadcaster. Following its acquisition of U.K. ISP Easynet Group in October 2005, BSkyB launched its own broadband Internet access service in July. That service is available only to subscribers to the Sky satellite TV services. The company has 8.3 million subscribers, and aims to have 10 million by the end of the decade, with 3 million of them subscribing to the broadband service, Fraser said. -Peter Sayer, IDG News Service (Paris Bureau)Related: Google Shares Break $500 Mark for 1st Time Check out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content brandpost Democratizing HPC with multicloud to accelerate engineering innovations Cloud for HPC is facilitating broader access to high performance computing and accelerating innovations and opportunities for all types of organizations. By Tanya O'Hara Jun 01, 2023 6 mins Multi Cloud brandpost Survey: Marketers embrace AI at expense of metaverse investments Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) has quickly rocked the world of marketing. Sitecore polled B2B marketers on their perceptions of GAI. Here’s what they said. By Dave O’Flanagan, Sitecore Jun 01, 2023 4 mins Artificial Intelligence news Zendesk to lay off another 8% of its staff, cites macroeconomic issues The new tranche of layoffs comes just six months after the company let go of 300 staffers and hired a new CEO in order to navigate its operations through macroeconomic distress. By Anirban Ghoshal Jun 01, 2023 3 mins CRM Systems IT Jobs feature 5 CxOs on leading change To be the agents of change that businesses require today, IT leaders must embrace a flexible mindset, prep their orgs for change, and recognize that intention and purpose are vital to empowering transformation. By Dan Roberts Jun 01, 2023 13 mins Digital Transformation Change Management IT Leadership Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe