Broadcast network NBC has inked promotional deals with almost every major Internet player to distribute the pilot episodes for its new fall lineup. Almost, that is, because it appears to be shunning Google's YouTube online-video site, as well as the News Corp.-owned MySpace. According to The Hollywood Reporter, episodes of new shows "Chuck," "Life," and "Journeyman" will be available for download on Amazon beginning September 10. If you'd prefer to download using Apple's iTunes software, sign up for the Apple Students group on social network Facebook. Members of that group get a one-week headstart on downloading the pilots. Prefer to stream your entertainment? Beginning in mid-September, you can catch "Life" on AOL, "Journeyman" on MSN, and "Chuck" on Yahoo. But it's the omissions that are really interesting.

First, there's Google. Why leave out the huge YouTube audience? Because, one presumes, NBC is growing wary of Google's power over online video. Odder still, though, is the omission of MySpace, since News Corp. and NBC have buddied up to build an online-video distribution venture. Sure, News Corp.'s Fox network competes with NBC, but you'd think the two would put that rivalry aside to pursue the goal of weakening YouTube.