two-screen

Due to the large volume of news generated over the past few days, we are covering stories in this issue in summary/round-up format.

As expected (see the article published on itvt.com, January 30th), Disney/ABC Television Group has revived Sync, the broadcast-synchronized two-screen interactive TV app that it originally rolled out last fall in association with the short-lived series, "My Generation" (see the article published on itvt.com, September 19th). This time, however, the app--which is powered by Nielsen's Media-Sync platform--is being offered in conjunction with an established show, the medical drama "Grey's Anatomy," now in its seventh season.

Formats developer, Endemol (credits include "Big Brother"), on Tuesday unveiled a line-up of what it describes as "hybrid formats that cross over programming genres and media platforms." It will be marketing the new formats at the upcoming MIPCOM 2010 tradeshow.

The formats include:

Due to the large volume of interactive TV-related news generated over the past few days, we are covering stories in this issue in round-up/summary format. Our regular news coverage will return shortly.

The [itvt] editorial team is on the road this week, so we are covering most stories in round-up/summary form, and we anticipate that there will be some additional interruptions of our regular news publishing schedule beyond that. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience to our readers.

UK terrestrial broadcaster, Channel 4, says that the two-screen interactive TV service it offered around the new Endemol-produced game show, "The Million Pound Drop" (see the article published on itvt.com, May 23rd), proved highly popular with viewers. According to the broadcaster, the service--which consisted of a Flash-based play-along game that was developed by marketing agency, Pancentric Digital, and social TV company, Monterosa--was played 505,000 times by 76,000 unique players during the show's Tuesday, May 25th broadcast. The Davina McCall-hosted show itself also proved popular, Channel 4 says, doubling average viewing figures for its slot. The show aired live in the 10:00PM slot for six days last week.

UK commercial terrestrial broadcaster, ITV, last week launched a two-screen interactive TV service, called "ITV Live," that will reside on its ITV.com Web site.

UK terrestrial broadcaster, Channel 4, has teamed with "Big Brother" creator, Endemol, to offer broadcast-synchronized two-screen interactive TV functionality around the new live game show, "The Million Pound Drop" (airs at 10:00PM for six nights this week, starting May 24th), UK trade publication, New Media Age, reports.

--Secures New Deals with the NBA, New York Giants

LiveHive Systems, an Ontario-based company that specializes in two-screen interactive TV solutions, has signed an agreement with Rogers Sportsnet to make a service based on its flagship NanoGaming platform available in conjunction with the latter's broadcasts of regional NHL games. The service, dubbed "Game in the Game," debuted October 12th and is being offered for the 2008/09 and 2009/10 hockey seasons. Viewers access it by logging into a dedicated area on the Rogers Sportsnet Web site (sportsnet.ca/gameinthegame). They can then play along with a sports broadcast by making predictions (i.e. by answering such questions as "Who will score the next goal?" or "Who will be thrown into the penalty box first?"), answering trivia questions (e.g.

Toronto-based two-screen interactive TV technology provider,
Desktopbox, has been acquired by international communications and
information technology company, Harris Corporation. Harris says it
will integrate Desktopbox's technology into its H-Class software
product line and market it worldwide. The Desktopbox platform
enables a two-screen enhanced TV and radio model in which content
providers can send URL's synchronized with a live or pre-recorded
program to viewers' Web browsers. During a program, URL's
providing show-related information are automatically displayed on
viewers' PC's or laptops: thus, for example, when a baseball player