Google already has YouTube, but the search giant's name is being thrown around in connection with a rumor that Blinkx could be on the auction block.

The British video search engine appears to be of interest to both Google and News Corp., according to a Reuters report.

Blinkx founder Suranga Chandratillake said talk of a bid "does not sound ridiculous."

"If there were to be a bid, the main search engine companies like Google and Yahoo would be sensible bidders," Chandratillake said. "Blinkx has got very intelligent search engine technology and a number of licensees."

But so far Yahoo, which is slowly putting its Microsoft troubles behind it, hasn't been identified as a serious contender.

As for Google and News Corp., the deal could make some sense when one considers that more Britons view Blinkx-linked videos than those found through Google's U.K. site. That detail could be critical for Google, which has said finding a revenue model for YouTube is this year's No. 1 priority. News Corp., which has seen some success with its Hulu partnership, has also expressed a keen interest in online video.