Yahoo! has signed on as a partner in CBS Interactive's CBS Audience Network for online video distribution. The deal will make CBS' video catalog available on Yahoo TV along with content from Fox and NBC as well as about a dozen cable networks, according to CNET.

"As the #1 online TV site, Yahoo! TV is committed to offering our users the most comprehensive television experience on the Internet," said Karin Gilford, Vice President of Entertainment and Lifestyles, Yahoo!, in a statement.

Beet.tv did an interesting interview with Gilford last month (embedded above) in which she (towards the end) compares the evolution of television with what happened to the music biz.

I absolutely agree with most of what she is saying - TV networks should follow their viewers and make their (ad-supported) content available in as many places as possible, but, except for recommendations and some other generic services, what makes Yahoo! TV so special?

I have yet to see someone really break out from the online video pack and provide an original must-see online video experience for the mass-market.

When it comes to niche products, I like what NGTV has done in terms of user experience and picking a segment of the market (young men) that is underserved and providing them with content and a voice that is unique.

But providing a really ground-breaking mass-market online video product has proven quite a challenge.

However, with a lot of smart people at giants like Yahoo! TV and upcomers like Joost, Hulu and Veoh hard at work creating such an experience, I think that the next 12 months will be really interesting to watch - especially since the major networks now finally seem to be all on board with freeing up their content for new distribution channels!

Joakim Baage