NBC and Fox are not rolling over to Google/YouTube and are launching Hulu, an advertising-supported video site with content from Fox, NBC, MGM and Sony in a bid to stop the tidal wave of people from watching stuff on Youtube. Taking another leaf from Google, a test version of the site is now live with plans to premiere a final version in a few months.

The site, developed by News Corp. and NBC Universal, offers free viewing of full-length films and TV episodes, supported by advertising. NBC Universal’s CEO Jeff Zucker, speaking Monday in New York said he didn’t see Hulu as a direct competitor to YouTube, and placed a dagger into the heart of YouTube content by saying the two sites are “really two separate things.”

“Hulu is about quality, premium video,” Zucker said. “It’s safe haven for advertisers. Advertisers want to know where they’re placing their ads. It’s a lot easier to place your ad in an episode of ‘The Office’ than it is on the cat on the skateboard.” Hulu will legally offer hundreds of episodes of current shows such as NBC’s “30 Rock” and Fox’s “The Simpsons,” as well as older shows such as “Lou Grant” and “Lost in Space.”

Its movie offerings will consist of films that have already been edited for television broadcast, which will contain short ads online in the places where they would appear on TV.

George Lucas has told the Los Angeles Times he just begun work on a “Star Wars” TV series in news that will please the inner-geek in all of us. George Lucas is planning a live-action television series spinoff of the “Star Wars” film franchise. Lucas told The Los Angeles Times he has “just begun work” on the series, which will not include the films’ major characters Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader. “The Skywalkers aren’t in it, and it’s about minor characters,” Lucas told the Times on Tuesday. Lucas wouldn’t reveal details, but joked that the series would be about “the life of robots.”

Not so sure I wanna know the history of life of the Robots, but some of the other characters from the movies could be pretty cool. Han Solo, although he’s pretty major in IV - VI could be a pretty cool show as could Jabba the Hut and Lando Calrissian…

BTW, here’s a full (and scary) list of the minor characters - lifted from good ole WikiPedia:

1 Amee
2 Chalmun
3 Crumb, Salacious
4 Ephant Mon
5 Gardulla the Hutt
6 Gargan, Yarna D’al
7 Ghoel
8 Jira
9 Klaatu
10 Lars, Cliegg
11 Lars, Owen
12 Lufba, Wam “Blam”
13 Nkik, Het
14 Oola
15 Ree-Yees
16 Valarian, Lady
17 Whitesun, Beru
18 2-1B
19 A’Kla, Elegos
20 Allana
21 Alto Stratus
22 Asha
23 Appo, Commander.
24 Azkul
25 Bastra, Gil
26 Beedo, Aldar
27 Binneed, Mosep
28 BoShek
29 Briqualon, Noa
30 Bwua’tu, Nek
31 Cakhmaim
32 Car’das, Jorj
33 Celchu, Mia
34 Celchu, Skoloc
35 Cerasi
36 Chirpa, Chief
37 Cloud-Riders
38 Dallows, Rhys
39 Davik Kang
40 Droga, Jeng
41 References
42 Eldo Davip
43 Fel, Baron Soontir
44 Foreck, Condren
45 Garindan
46 Gartogg
47 Ghent, Zakarisz
48 Grahrk, Vilmarh
49 Hierogryph, Marn
50 Hesz, Tal
51 Horn, Rostek
52 Horn, Valin “Hal”
53 Jax, Carnor
54 Kallabow
55 Katarn, Morgan
56 Katarn, Patricia
57 Logray
58 Mallar, Plat
59 Meewalh
60 Myo
61 Naberrie family
61.1 Janren, Darred
61.2 Naberrie, Jobal
61.3 Naberrie, Pooja
61.4 Naberrie, Ryoo
61.5 Naberrie, Sola
61.6 Naberrie, Winama
61.7 Thule, Ryoo
62 Narra, Commander
63 Nass, Boss Rugor
64 Navik the Red
65 Nield
66 Nym
67 O-Bin
68 O-Lana
69 O-Vieve
70 Odumin
71 Peckhum
72 References
73 Reti
74 Rukh
75 Salporin
76 Sandov, Utric
77 Shedao Shai
78 Sirrakuk
79 Skynx
80 Skywalker, Ben
81 Sleazebaggano, Elan
82 Sol, Jorin
83 Solo, Jarik
84 Sovv, Sien
85 Stark, Iaco
86 Sunber, Janek
87 Talor, Rand and Kath
88 Tarfang
89 Teek
90 King Terak
91 Ulgo, Trask
92 V-Tan
93 Vor’na’tu
94 Vorru, Fliry
95 Vox, Wade
96 Wessiri, Diric
97 Wessiri, Iella
98 Windy
99 Xux, Qwi
100 Zend, Salla

I have seen the future and it is Joost. Having messed around with the beta for the last few days, I can tell you I’m thoroughly impressed with what the Joost team have put together. Admittedly, the content was a little light (compared to my 400+ channels on Dish Network) but I found plenty to watch - from Movies to Music Videos, Football (thats soccer to anyone Stateside) to Wildlife and some good old fashioned MTV reality programs to make the night-time hours fly by.

The Joost interface is gorgeous. Easy to use, clean and simple. It’s smooth as silk - Microsoft could clearly do with taking a leaf out of these guys books and use it on the Zune interface. Checkout the screengrabs below to see what I’m waffling about.

Most people are wondering what the revenue model is, and, like old-skool over the air-waves TV, it takes the form of advertising. Unlike todays TV though, I’m not inundated with crappy ads from Countrywide, nor Viagra, Ciallis or Allergy pills. After each program I watched a sponsor message appeared, this meant targetted ads based upon the content and geographic location for each user - I was presented with a Sprite ad for about 15 seconds, then it was back to the content - not intrusive at all.

The fact that I can remember the Sprite ad means it must be working…. Then again, I’m faced with about 600 Countrywide “ReFi” ads every day and I can recall those - even though I’m not in the slightest bit interested in Refinancing, paying off credit card debt or worrying about closing costs…. But I am thirsty, and Sprite may win over as my regular tasty beverage of choice…

So, what are you waiting for download the Joost Beta today and start rocking and rolling to Laguna Beach and David Beckhams best goals!

Just when I thought TV was on it last legs, I find I’m completely addicted to Twittervision - thus driving another nail into the coffin of UHF and Cable TV. CBS, ABC and NBC, along with Viacom don’t realise just how far down the pecking order they are now-a-days. Another point to add - I was talking to the Mike, one of my neighbors kids about how I can contact him since I just hired him as my VideoBlog editor over at XBOX365. I asked him for his email “nope, don’t do it” and IM name “not any more dude” were the response… The reason why - Myspace. That’s right advertisers, Email, IM and TV are dead, Websites are taking over as the preferred place to send and retrieve messages, news, files and gossip.

Don’t forget to check out Twittervision, it rocks!

Every eMedia pundit will be saying “told you so” today as Viacom, owner of the once decent, but now reduced to crap MTV, announced to the world that they are about to take YouTube to the cleaners to the MTV enhanced tune of $1,000,000,000 - yep thats a B. Viacom alleges that about 160,000 unauthorised clips of its programmes have been loaded onto YouTube’s site and viewed more than 1.5 billion times. Google says it is “confident” that YouTube has respected the legal rights of copyright holders. Confident in this case really means they are wondering what the hell they should do to fix this issue - hmmm, lets see if Nickelodeon, MTV, VH1 and Comedy Central accidentally fall off the the Google spider list… Yeah, that might fix it.

Of course Google should be confident - the videos below have nothing to do with MTV:

Lets see how long these clips are available for…