The iTV Doctor Is In! Videos from CTAM's 2nd Annual iTV Idol Contest

Dear Readers:

The good doctor just returned from the CTAM Summit (hereafter to be called simply "CTAM") in New York. Great show, with an odd attendance pattern (people working in town simply dropped in for sessions they were interested in), but a few terrific sessions. And for those who don't remember (or never knew) what CTAM stands for, I'll repeat a quote from a CTAM senior exec from some time in the previous century: "What does CTAM mean? Can't Tell Any More."

One of the best sessions was the 2nd Annual "CTAM iTV Idol" competition, hosted by the inimitable Mark Hess. And I was lucky enough to be able to record the presentations and demonstrations of the iTV applications on my handy flip cam.

So, without further ado, here are the videos, with descriptions from the CTAM press materials:


Intrasonics Limited: An RFI, tcommerce, polling, trivia app that allows users to engage directly with their favorite media programs and advertising brands by enabling any broadcast media to interact directly with smartphones and tablets. The user's smartphone or tablet hears unique sounds (inaudible to people) that trigger built-in actions in the app.

itaas: A tablet computer app that allows users to discover and tune to content, create playlists, set reminders for upcoming content and avoid marital disputes by auto-selecting content.

Showtime Networks, Inc.: An upsell app that puts viewers in control, allowing them to learn more about Showtime and even watch full sample episodes of hit Showtime programming. And with a few clicks of the remote, viewers can upgrade to Showtime within a few minutes. (Doctor's note: This application took first place in the competition.)



 

WE tv/FUSE/MSG/Ensequence: A multi-function app that puts viewers in control of a diverse in-program engagement experience. Viewers are invited to opt in to the application several times during each hour of programming and are offered new interactive content every 5-7 minutes. (Doctor's note: This application took home the 2nd place award).


 

The Weather Channel and Nielsen MediaSync: A companion app that uses audio watermarks in the show to unlock bonus content while the viewer watches the program live or on-demand (via DVR or VOD). It allows viewers to interact with exclusive "synced" content on their iPad.

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The iTV Doctor is *Rick Howe*, who provides interactive television consulting services to programmers and advertisers. He is the recipient of a CTAM Tami Award for retention marketing and this year was nominated to Cable Pioneers. He is also the co-author of a patent for the use of multiscreen mosaics in EPG's. Endorsed by top cable and satellite distributors, "Dr" Howe still makes house calls, and the first visit is always free. His services include product development, distribution strategy and the development of low-cost interactive applications for rapid deployment across all platforms. Have a question for the iTV Doctor? Email him at itvdoctor@itvt.com