And we’re not talking about the little guy’s blog. Later this month, ad-supported video clips taken from shows on Viacom’s MTVN channels – which include MTV and Nickelodeon – can be embedded , YouTube style, on the sites of selected AdSense publishers. The ads accompanying the clips will be chosen by tv network ad sales teams, and revenue will be divvied up amongst Google, the AdSense publishers and Viacom (which will get the lion’s share). Good write-ups here from Ars Technica and here from PaidContent.

In addition to bits from programs like of “Spongebob Squarepants” and “Laguna Beach,” publishers could also see straight-up video promos for things like MTV’s Video Music Awards. Viacom gets to pick and choose which sites will get the nod, skewing toward teen and young adult crowds en masse – reportedly, only sites garnering over 100,000 unique monthly visitors will be considered. Video content would be rotated frequently, supposedly to encourage repeat visits.

A related deal will have MTVN’s shows available (ad-free) for the first time on Google Video, for the usual $1.99 an episode.

Keeping up appearances Perhaps to impress its new partner, Google Video is testing a little makeover. Philipp Lenssen has screenshots contrasting the usual look and the new layout, “more YouTube-like.” Oh, Google Video. Why not just be yourself?

If you’d like an up-close view of the changes, just go to a video on the site and enter “javascript:setCookie(‘np’,'old’);window.location.reload();” into the address bar (sans quotes). After the page loads, click on the link that says, “Try our new page layout” (highlighted in yellow).

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