YouTube as a ‘lean-back’ experience… really?

As Google announces plans to invest tens of millions of dollars in repositioning YouTube to tie in with the rise of connected TV, MediaPost‘s Steve Smith questions the quality of Google TV itself.

Last week, Google confirmed that it will invest in professionally-produced original programming to encourage viewers to watch YouTube from their living rooms.

The video site is also planning to introduce arts and sports channels, according to reports in the Wall Street Journal.

However, Smith’s experience with Google TV suggests that the company has a way to go to improve the link between YouTube and TV viewing.

“Google TV is more of a navigational tool than a fully integrated part of my TV experience, and I am not sure that pouring TV-like content into YouTube is going to change that very much.

“YouTube’s TV-oriented ‘Lean-Back’ mode oddly is among the worst performing elements on my Google TV. The video results are a mosh pit of items that require relentless drilling to find anything useful. Video quality is an issue on a larger screen, and the expectation of better quality video from various web sources has ended up informing some of my choices.

“The integration of web video and TV is not even remotely occurring in my use of Google TV.”

Read the full article here.