*SCOOP: PixelPlay in Exclusive License Deal with World Poker Tour

PixelPlay, the interactive TV games company that was formed last year from the merger of Pixel Technologies and PlayTV (note: for more on the merger and the strategy behind it, see [itvt]'s interview with PixelPlay president and CEO, Ron Chaimowitz, in Issue 5.92 Part 1), has signed an exclusive license agreement with WPT Enterprises, the company behind the World Poker Tour brand, to develop and distribute World Poker Tour-branded casino games for interactive TV platforms worldwide. The deal was developed and negotiated by WPT's strategic product licensing and merchandising agency, Brandgenuity.

According to PixelPlay, the new deal will see it developing two single-player Texas Hold 'em ITV games, in which viewers will be able to challenge "virtual pros," and a multiplayer Texas Hold 'em ITV game, in which viewers will play around a "virtual poker table" in real time. An interactive tutorial will be provided, as will play options for novice and expert players. The games will also feature leaderboards, that will list weekly and all-time chip leaders: PixelPlay says that top players will be invited to compete for prizes. The deal also foresees the roll-out of additional casino games in 2007 and beyond. "This worldwide agreement with WPT Enterprises, Inc. allows PixelPlay to bring another highly recognizable brand to interactive television for service providers offering subscription-based and pay-to-play games services," CEO, Ron Chaimowitz, said in a prepared statement. "Our advanced cross-platform technology will let consumers play Texas Hold 'em in a true multiplayer, interactive environment and measure their poker skills against the pros."

Time Warner Taps BIAP for "NBC Olympics NOW" Interactive TV App

Time Warner Cable has teamed with Plano, Texas-based BIAP Systems (note: the latter, whose name is an acronym for "Broadband Interactive Applications," was founded in 1998 by a group of former NASA scientists who had met while working on the Space Station) and with broadcast network, NBC, to develop a free interactive TV service to accompany NBC's coverage of the upcoming Winter Olympics. Dubbed "NBC Olympics NOW," the service will be available to Time Warner digital subscribers in Columbia, South Carolina; Green Bay, Wisconsin; and Corpus Christi, El Paso, San Antonio and Waco, Texas. It will allow viewers to track the performance of the US Olympics team via constantly refreshed medal counts, event telecast schedules, news and athlete bios. (Note: satellite TV providers, DirecTV and EchoStar, are working with NBC to offer similar interactive TV apps to the one that will be offered by Time Warner Cable; the satellite companies' apps are also expected to feature multiscreen functionality, allowing viewers to toggle between several NBC channels.) Viewers will access the service by pressing "select" on their remotes while tuned to any of the NBC Universal channels that are covering the Olympics (i.e. NBC, CNBC, MSNBC, USA, NBC HD and Universal HD): the service will then appear in three-quarter-screen format, allowing viewers to continue to watch regular linear TV while they use it.

The NBC Olympics NOW service will consist of four elements:

• "Medal Tracker," an application that will provide viewers with a constantly updated list of every medal that has been awarded; the list will be ranked by the total number of medals. The app will also allow viewers to personalize it by selecting up to three countries of their choosing.
• "Team USA Report," an application that will provide viewers with news about the US Olympic team, organized into three categories: "What Happened Yesterday"; "Today's Outlook"; and "What to Look for Tomorrow."
• "Athlete Bios," which will provide in-depth biographies of the most popular Olympic athletes.
• "Program Guide," which will list on a single screen all the upcoming Olympic events, when they will be airing and on which NBC channel.

BIAP, which has a long-standing relationship with Time Warner Cable, has developed a number of other interactive TV projects for the MSO. These include:

• A fantasy football app, dubbed the Time Warner Cable Fantasy Football Tracker, which launched last fall on the MSO's Greenbay, Wisconsin system. The app allows fantasy football players who are watching a football game on TV to track their team's roster with the touch of a button on their remote control, instead of having to run to their computers to get updates on their team. It lets them use an on-screen set-up process to input their fantasy football teams. It then provides continually updated statistics on the players they have chosen from around the league, as well as game scores; passing, rushing, receiving and kicking leaderboards; injury updates; player headlines; and other information of interest to fantasy football players. End-users have the option of viewing this information as a scrolling ticker, or in full-screen or three-quarter-screen modes which provide more detailed information.
• A service dubbed "PITV" (short for "Personalized Information Television") that has been deployed in a number of Time Warner Cable markets and that provides subscribers with personalizable local news, sports, traffic and weather information, local movie listings, financial news, lottery results, and information on local school districts.
• "eBay on TV," an interactive TV version of the eponymous online auction service, which has been deployed to DVR-equipped Time Warner Cable subscribers in Austin, Texas.

NDS in Deals with TBS, Tata Sky, Telekom Austria

News Corp.-owned interactive TV and conditional access technology provider, NDS, has been named by Turner Broadcasting System (TBS), as its exclusive developer of interactive TV games and enhanced TV applications for the Asia-Pacific region. The companies say that their deal will result in the deployment of interactive content for TBS's Cartoon Network on a number of Asia-Pacific digital TV platforms. As part of the deal, NDS is supplying TBS with a range of pay-per-play games--the first of which is entitled "Powerpuff Girls Crystal Crisis" (note: the game invites viewers to help the Powerpuff Girls save Townsville from Mojo Jojo by collecting enough crystals to power up a "super-ray-gun"; in order to gather the crystals, the girls must share their powers, so that at least one of them can become airborne: viewers use the remote to collect the crystals and avoid bad guys)--for the Cartoon Network in Australia. The games are being updated on a monthly basis.

The deal also calls for NDS to supply TBS with enhanced TV applications to support its promotional activities. In the latter part of last year, the Cartoon Network's "Eyeballs3: Triple Play" watch-and-win promotion in Australia included an NDS-built enhanced TV component, dubbed "Red Eye": viewers were invited to watch the Cartoon Network closely at specified times to spot a series of red eyeballs that appeared briefly on-screen during programs: when they pressed the red button while a red eyeball was on the screen, they were awarded "EyeCodes," which they could collect in order to win such prizes as a travel voucher, a shopping spree or a home entertainment system. "There will be more exciting new ITV games and promotions coming up as the partnership [between NDS and TBS] grows," Sue Taylor, VP and general manager of NDS Asia-Pacific, said in a prepared statement.

In other NDS news:

• The company says that its end-to-end solutions have been chosen by Tata Sky, an 80:20 joint venture between TATA Group and News Corp.'s STAR Group, for its planned launch of a DTH satellite-TV service in India in mid-2006. NDS's deal with Tata Sky sees the company supplying the latter with its VideoGuard conditional access technology, which will allow it to offer multiple programming and pricing packages; and with its MediaHighway middleware and its Value@TV interactive infrastructure, which will allow it to offer a range of interactive TV applications. In addition, NDS says, a team of NDS engineers based in Bangalore will play a key role in the design, delivery and service support of the deployment. (Note: in related news: OpenTV announced last month that another Indian satellite-TV provider, Essel Group-owned Dish TV, plans to use its middleware to power ITV services--see [itvt] Issue 6.51 Part 2.)
• The company says that Austria's largest telecommunications company, Telekom Austria, has chosen its Synamedia secure IPTV and VOD solution and architecture--together with its VideoGuard content protection and DRM technology--to power its new IPTV service, aonDigital TV. The service was launched last year to a base of "friendlies" in Vienna, and is scheduled to be rolled out to a larger customer base in Vienna early this year. Other companies that have deployed NDS's Synamedia IPTV solution include BBTV in Japan, Sistema in Russia, CYTA in Cyprus, Viasat in Sweden, Auna in Spain and SuperSun in Hong Kong. "Telekom Austria's choice for NDS solutions was welcomed by all our content partners," Telekom Austria's VP of marketing, Stefan Tweraser, said in a prepared statement. "We are very proud of our aonDigital TV service. It offers a good portfolio mix of broadcasting channels, video-on-demand comprising both Hollywood and Austrian-specific content, very interesting features like photo slide shows on the TV set, and much more."

UK Broadcaster, ITV, Casts Light on its Interactive TV Plans for 2006

The UK's largest commercial broadcaster, the Independent Television Network (generally referred to by the acronym, "ITV"), has provided a brief overview of its interactive TV and multiplatform plans for 2006. The overview is contained in a document, entitled "ITV1 2005 Review, 2006 Statement of Programme Policy," which the broadcaster has published as part of its compliance with the 2003 Communications Act.

"In 2006," the document reads, "ITV plans to further develop its interactive and new media offering, to enhance our offering to viewers across a range of new media platforms. We are looking at a number of interactive propositions. We are planning to extend our existing red-button, RTS/SMS and Internet-related activities to mobiles, focused on daytime, entertainment and soaps. During the year we will be rolling out mobile video services and developing plans for a broadband proposition with streamed content. [Note: the latter is expected to be based on the Web property, Friends Reunited, which ITV acquired last year.] Our interactive proposition will allow viewers wider access to TV content and to participate more actively in TV content, as well as providing valuable opportunities to build new revenue streams."

Two Way TV Secures Two New Commissions from the BBC

Two Way TV has secured two new commissions from the BBC. The first commission is to create a maze-format interactive TV game, called "The Magic Maze of ZandRican," which will launch on the Corporation's children's channel, CBBC, later this year. The game, which will be available through the red button on digital satellite, digital terrestrial and digital cable, is targeted at CBBC's core audience of six- to 12-year-olds, and will offer problem solving at different skill levels. Players will have to find their way around a maze that contains a series of obstacles, with the goal of reaching the maze's end and picking up a stone to gain team points. Two Way TV says that viewers will be able to submit their own maze formats and that the look-and-feel of the game will be constantly refreshed.

The second commission is to build an interactive radio service for digital cable for the BBC's Radio 1, 1Xtra, Radio 2, Radio 3, Radio 4, Five Live, Five Live Sports Extra, 6 Music, Radio7, and The Asian Network radio stations. The service will allow viewers to access program information, news and features, and will also enable them to contact the stations' presenters. "We are really pleased to be building on our existing relationship and these latest commissions illustrate our strength in building robust, user-friendly interactive services for broad audiences," Two Way TV's head of sales, James Turner, said in a prepared statement. "The creation of a brand new game is the first time that the BBC has acquired an intellectual property from us and reflects our expertise in creating exciting new games which can help build viewer loyalty." Previous commissions that Two Way TV has secured from the BBC include an interactive service for the "Ten O'Clock News" on digital cable, satellite and terrestrial; an interactive story book application for "The Roly Mo Show" on digital cable, satellite and terrestrial; and an interactive local TV news service that is currently available for five areas of the West Midlands region, and which went live in December.

Wiretown Develops "Parapsychological" Mobile Interactive TV App

A newly formed mobile content development company, called Wiretown, contacted [itvt] last week to let us know that it has developed an unusual mobile TV app for the latest season of the live LIVINGtv show, "Derek Acorah's Ghost Towns." The company's co-founders are broadcast consultant, Jon Lazarus, who was formerly channel development manager at MTV, and producer, Tim Usborne, whose production credits include "Most Haunted Live," "Restoration Live Final," and BBCi's new Internet TV soap opera, "Wannabes."

Lazarus and Usborne say that the mobile app they have developed for "Ghost Towns" builds on existing mobile phone technology, as well as "current parapsychological theory": "We're using the technology within mobile phones to detect subtle electrical changes around the user that some experts say are associated with paranormal activity," Usborne explained. "In other words, the phone will become a 'paranormal detector' and provide the viewer with a unique and engaging way to interact in real time with the show." Wiretown partnered on the development of the "Ghost Towns" app with mobile specialist, Future Platforms; the app was integrated with LIVINGtv's live platform by Nativ. Wiretown says that the two companies will be its strategic partners going forward. It also claims to be in discussions about further commissions with MTV Networks, Popworld and "a major terrestrial broadcaster."

Txtstation in Mobile Interactive TV Deals with TNT, Fashion TV

--Company Forms Hollywood Business Unit

Mobile marketing company, Txtstation, is enabling mobile phone-based interactive TV on Turner Network Television (TNT) Sports' weekly basketball showcase, "TNT NBA Thursday." (Note: TNT has exclusive rights to the National Basketball Association's Opening Night, to the 2006 NBA All-Star Game, and to the 2006 Western Conference Finals.) TNT will use Txtstation's interactive TV platform, Txtstation TV, to enable SMS-based viewer polls during TNT NBA Thursday's live basketball broadcasts; the companies say that their collaboration will result in a range of "real-time concepts" based on SMS voting. Txtstation TV collates viewers' votes instantly, and displays them live on the TV screen via animated graphics. According to Txtstation, the platform allows programmable triggers based on actual responses. In addition, the company's partnership with TNT Sports will see it gathering demographic information from participating viewers and providing viewers with the opportunity to opt into various marketing campaigns.

In other Txtstation news:

• The company has formed a Hollywood Business Unit that will be tasked with promoting its mobile interactive marketing solutions to TV producers and other creatives, and with developing interactive TV services based on those solutions. The unit will, as its name suggests, be based in Los Angeles; it will be headed up by veteran new media producer, Robert King. "The extension of our interactive marketing solutions towards entertainment programming will add a further dimension in how viewers can directly participate in the direction and/or outcome of the program," Txtstation founder, Matt Coleman, said in a prepared statement.
• The company is partnering with Fashion TV to enable mobile interactivity on an upcoming reality TV series, "Ms. California Model Search 2006," which is being put together by Robert King. The show, which will debut in April, will feature 12 contestants, one of whom will be voted off the show each nightly episode. Viewers will use Txtstation TV to cast votes in such categories as Swimsuit, Best Personality, Best Walk, and Best Smile.

Fox Reality Taps 2waytraffic for New Mobile Service

--Hires Ex-GoldPocket Exec, Ed Skolarus, to Lead Interactive Ventures

2waytraffic, a company that was formed in 2004 by three former Endemol executives (the company claims to have nearly 8,000 hours of interactive programming on air in 18 countries, and a library of over 25 original formats), has developed a mobile service for News Corp.'s new reality TV channel, Fox Reality. The $4.99-per-month service, which will launch this spring, and which Fox Reality will promote on the air, will allow customers of all the US's major wireless carriers to access daily recaps of their favorite shows on the channel, participate in sweepstakes, and even receive casting call information so that they themselves can appear in future reality TV programs. 2waytraffic will provide all the service's wireless applications and backend service, and has also co-produced the commercial creative that Fox Reality will use to promote it. To subscribe to the service, viewers will simply have to text "REALITY" to the premium number, 76666, and the service's monthly charge will then appear on their mobile bill. "TV networks can create more direct and personal relationships with their viewers, now more than ever before," James Joyce, managing director of 2waytraffic's New York-based US branch said in a prepared statement. "2waytraffic offers programmers a decade of experience in developing and producing entertaining television and interactive content that allows viewers to actively connect with their brands and generate new sources of non-spot revenues. 2waytraffic is proud to partner with Fox Reality on this ground-breaking reality mobile service, and we look forward to working with the network on other interactive projects as the year progresses."

The Fox Reality executive in charge of the broadcaster's partnership with 2waytraffic is Ed Skolarus, who holds the title, VP of business and operations, and who recently joined the broadcaster from interactive TV company, GoldPocket Interactive. He is responsible for all Fox Reality's interactive, broadband, on-demand, and mobile ventures, and will also work with Fox Networks Group's Business and Legal Affairs department to manage Fox Reality's program ventures, licensing agreements and future business development. In addition, he will serve as the channel's primary representative on all telecast operations and distribution matters.

Blue Frog Mobile Launches Text-to-TV Service

Seattle-based Blue Frog Mobile--a mobile entertainment provider which recently completed a $16 million funding round with Canaan Partners and MK Capital--has launched a service, called txtv, that allows viewers to send text messages from their mobiles for display on TV programs. The company says that the service has been tested successfully in a number of markets and that it will be announcing several partnerships in the near future. It says that it plans to share messaging revenue generated by the service with its broadcast partners: all fees from the service will appear directly on the viewer's monthly mobile bill. "As cell phones become the predominant entertainment tool, it's a natural step for text messaging to be broadcast on television," Blue Frog Mobile CEO, Ron Erickson, said in a prepared statement. "It's the perfect marriage of old school and new school communications--and the result is a true interactive television experience for the viewer and new revenue opportunities for the broadcaster."

In other Blue Frog Mobile news: the company has named Jon Carson chief technology officer. Carson was previously VP of technology at Giftcertificates.com and engineering director for AOL/Tegic's Wireless Application division. The company also recently named Mark Olson CFO. Olson was previously controller at mobile games company, Mforma Group.

NBC to Offer New Interactive Reality TV Series Exclusively on the Web

US broadcast network, NBC, has announced plans to offer an interactive reality TV series exclusively on its Web site. Entitled "StarTomorrow," the participation-TV show will invite viewers to select a band or singing group to receive a recording contract with legendary music producer, Tommy Mattola. The show is being produced by the Mottola Company, 25/7 Productions and 3 Ball Productions; its executive producers are Dave Broome, JD Roth, Todd Nelson, and John Foy (all of whom were involved in the NBC reality TV series, "The Biggest Loser"), Mattola, and his colleague, Jeb Brien. "'StarTomorrow' is an important project for us," Jeff Gaspin, president of NBC Universal cable entertainment, digital content and cross-network strategy, said in a prepared statement. "This is the first time NBC will be distributing a network-quality program exclusively online. We want to give consumers a new viewing experience, and digital content enables us to give more scheduling and programming latitude to them, truly allowing viewers to create their own show."

The show is scheduled to debut this summer on NBC.com with a nationwide search that will narrow the field of competing bands and groups down to approximately 100. Around 20 auditions will be released on the site for the first half of the show's 16-week run: viewers will then evaluate them, and will have a week to vote on which bands or groups should move on to the next round. The finalists will then compete in the second half of the series. Contestants will be allowed to perform covers of pop staples; however, NBC says that "as the series goes deeper into the competition, the focus will shift more to original songs." The broadcaster also says that the show will travel to four yet-to-be-announced regional locations across the US "to reach out to performers."According to NBC, the show will offer viewers various online features, including the ability to view "critical insight and advice" from Mottola and opinions from guest celebrities. Viewers will also be able to stream the past series performances of each competing band, and view what NBC describes as "produced packages that personalize each group or band with footage from rehearsals, interviews and background information in a video blog-like style."

AOL Teaming with Mark Burnett on Reality TV Series for Broadband

AOL said last week that it is teaming with high-profile reality TV producer, Mark Burnett (the latter's company, Mark Burnett Productions, is responsible for, among other things, "Survivor" and "The Apprentice"), to develop a reality TV treasure-hunt show that will air exclusively on AOL's Web site. Entitled "Gold Rush!," the show will track what AOL describes as "real-life challengers" as they search for hidden treasure across the US. While it remains unclear to what extent regular Web surfers will be able to participate in the treasure hunt (the press release announcing the new show was short on details), AOL says that clues to the location of the show's hidden treasure troves will be placed on various of its Web properties, including AOL.com, AIM.com, Moviefone.com, and Mapquest.com. The company also says that it plans to promote "Gold Rush!" and the existence of the clues on a variety of media, including TV, print and wireless: "With 'Survivor,' 'The Apprentice,' 'The Contender' and 'Rock Star,' I've been amazed by the volume of fans who constantly want to communicate online about each of these shows," Mark Burnett, said in a prepared statement. "They clearly want a lot more content than they can enjoy during one hour of television per week. The world is changing and the Internet is about to become the next broadcast network. With the volume of people able to watch content on their computers between 9:00AM to 5:00PM, it could very well become the new primetime. The immediate future will take advantage of content that utilizes television, print and the Internet in concert. AOL and I are embracing this immediate future through 'Gold Rush.'"

(Note: Rival Internet portal, Yahoo!, is currently developing a Web-based scavenger hunt show, called "Treasure Hunt," and there have been mutterings that Mark Burnett, who has also been working with Yahoo! on a Web-based reality show called "The Runner," took the idea for "Gold Rush" from "Treasure Hunt." Burnett denies the accusation.)

Atom to Fund Development of Original Broadband and Mobile Content

At the Sundance indie film festival last month, multiplatform VOD and games company, Atom Entertainment (note: the company--which was founded in 2001 via the merger of AtomFilms and Shockwave.com--offers around 1,000 short films and animated titles on its AtomFilms.com broadband VOD portal and a range of games on its Shockwave.com portal; it claims that AtomFilms attracts a monthly audience of 5 million consumers), launched a program called "AtomFilms Studio," which it says will provide funding to independent producers looking to create short films and other content specifically targeted at broadband and mobile platforms. The company has announced six projects that have been developed under the auspices of the new program, and says that it expects to announce "dozens more" over the course of the year. The first projects to be developed under the program will be distributed this spring on the AtomFilms portal and via Atom Entertainment's various broadband and mobile partners. AtomFilm Studios is "the first development house dedicated to producing content for distribution online," an Atom Entertainment spokesperson told [itvt]. "There have recently been many announcements about networks repurposing content for Internet TV, but AtomFilms is investing resources to develop original content for the Internet."

The six announced projects developed under the auspices of AtomFilms Studio are:

• "Casual Encounters" (created by Mike Mohan) a six-episode reality TV series, inspired by the "Casual Encounters" section of the online community, Craigslist.
• "Wanna See My Bug (created by Efram Potelle and Kyle Rankin, the winners of Project Greenlight 2), a special-effects-driven short.
• "New Boobs" (created by Matthew Bonifacio), a comedy in which a young woman, obsessed with her flat chest and in love with her handsome neighbor, considers getting breast implants in order to win the neighbor's affection.
• "Dog Years, Chapter 2" (created by Sam Hearn and Richard Penfold), a sequel to the international award-winning short about a dog and his owner.
• "Game Over" and "Cemetary Sex" (created by PES), which Atom Entertainment describes as "a stop-motion homage to old school videogames and a unique sex story."

Atom Entertainment says that the six projects were selected for funding "based on their potential to deliver quick, shareable, instantly gratifying entertainment experiences to consumers in online and mobile environments."

Akimbo Signs Content Deals with Anime Network, National Lampoon

At the NATPE show last month, Akimbo Systems--a San Mateo, Calif.-based company which offers a $9.99-per-month, Internet-delivered VOD service that features an 8,000-plus-title library of mainstream and niche content, ranging from standard cable fare from such companies as National Geographic and Cartoon Network to videoblogs produced by amateurs, and which recently launched its service on the Microsoft Media Center (note: the service is otherwise based on a special, hard drive-equipped set-top box, dubbed the "Akimbo Player"; earlier this month, the company announced that it had partnered with electronics giant, Thomson, on a new, RCA-branded version of the Akimbo Player--see [itvt] Issue 6.51 Part 2)--announced that it has secured content deals for its service with Anime Network and National Lampoon.

The deal with Anime Network will see the latter's collection of classic and contemporary Japanese animated films and TV programs--including such titles as "DN Angel," "Full Metal Panic!," "Robotech" and "Samurai X"--offered on Akimbo's service. "Anime Network is one of the biggest sources of high-quality, up-to-date anime programming outside of Japan," Akimbo CEO, Josh Goldman, said in a prepared statement. "With a large but geographically scattered fan base, anime is the classic example of a genre that benefits from Akimbo's distribution model. Now anyone with a home broadband Internet connection will be able to experience the richness of Anime Network's catalog on any TV."

The deal with National Lampoon--a company that operates an in-dorm campus TV channel, currently available at around 600 colleges and universities (it claims that the channel reaches approximately 4.8 million students)--will see the latter's original programs offered on the Akimbo service. This will be the first time that the company's titles have been made available off-campus, on-demand, on TV. Programming available on Akimbo's service under the deal will include "National Lampoon's Gamers," which offers reviews of new videogames and reports from gaming events and award shows across the US, and "National Lampoon's College Town, USA," in which host, Christopher Underwood, visits campuses across the country, interviews students, and explores the things that make each campus unique.

Channel 4 Launches Web-Exclusive Movie Review Program

UK broadcaster, Channel 4, has launched a new version of its C4 video player, together with a new, Web-exclusive movie review program, called "Movie Rush." The 10-minute-long show--which was designed and produced by digital design and strategy agency, Holler, and which is sponsored by beermaker, Stella Artois (the latter has committed to sponsoring the show for at least six months)--will review two new movie releases each week, together with a recent DVD release; it also features a "Coming Soon" segment that showcases an upcoming movie. The show has no presenters, instead taking what Channel 4 describes as a "typographical" approach--using animated copy to segue between each of its segments. The broadcaster says that the show has been "edited specifically for broadband." Each episode is presented on the Web divided into four segments: information about the content of each segment, together with a link to the Web site of the movie covered in that segment, appears on-screen next to a representative image. The first episode of "Movie Rush" debuted online (www.channel4.com/movierush) on February 2nd. It features reviews of "Walk the Line," "Grizzly Man," "The Brat Pack Selection" (a DVD release), and "Capote" (a movie that will be released soon in the UK). Channel 4 says that, following the launch of the show, it plans to roll out its new video player across its entire Web site.

Blinkx in Deals with Sundance Channel, UNICEF

Video search service, Blinkx, said last week that it is making video content from the Sundance Channel's Web site (www.sundancechannel.com) available for searching on its Blinkx.tv video search portal: the content includes clips from original programs, series, features and documentaries. Blinkx, which has similar content partnerships with HBO, iFilm, Movielink and a range of other companies, claims to use voice recognition technology and visual analysis techniques to generate detailed metadata from raw video, in order to render that video more easily searchable. The company also said last week that it would make video and audio content from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) available on its site. (Note: for more on Blinkx's technology, strategy, and future plans--including an explanation of why the company is building relationships with content providers--see [itvt]'s interview with its co-founder and CEO, Suranga Chandratillake, in Issue 6.53.)

CBS to Sell "Survivor" Episodes on its Web Site

US broadcast network, CBS, last week began making its high-profile reality TV series, "Survivor," available for download on its Web site (CBS.com) a few hours after the latest season of the show premiered on linear TV. Episodes of the show are being offered on the site following their West Coast broadcast, and will be available on-demand through June. They are priced at $1.99 each, and consumers have 24 hours to view them. "This is a first in network television," CBS president and CEO, Leslie Moonves, said in a prepared statement. "Never before has primetime hit programming been available for a fee on a wholly owned Web site. It's been our strategy to exploit content across as many platforms as possible, and putting this hugely popular series online is a natural fit. This is not only a boon to fans of the show, who can now watch it at their leisure, but it also represents a great way to generate traffic for CBS.com while opening a whole new revenue stream for CBS."

While "Survivor" is the first of CBS's primetime programs to be offered on its Web site, the network already offers a number of free, Web-exclusive original programs on the site. These include "Survivor Live!," a companion show that features interviews with the latest contestant to be voted off the show, as well as show highlights and chat; "The Finish Line" and "House Calls," which are companion shows to the reality series, "The Amazing Race" and "Big Brother" respectively; and "CBS Soap Box," a weekly hour-long companion show to CBS's daytime soap operas. In an interview with news agency Reuters, Wednesday, Larry Kramer, CBS's president of digital media, said that the network plans to eventually offer other programs on its Web site, including both CBS-owned shows and shows from third parties. The network also sells episodes from a selection of its shows on Google's recently launched Google Video Store, as well as on Comcast's VOD platform.

In related news:

• NBC is offering the remaining three episodes of its recently canceled show, "The Book of Daniel," on its Web site: a new episode is being made available on the site each Friday. The show attracted the ire of fundamentalist Christian organizations in the US, which objected to its portrayals of homosexuality and drug use. (Note: NBC's sister channel, Bravo, recently launched a broadband TV service, "Brilliant but Canceled," devoted to canceled shows--see [itvt] Issue 6.51 Part 3.)
• At the NATPE show in Las Vegas last month, Ross Levinsohn, president of Fox Interactive Media, revealed that Fox is developing an Internet-exclusive talkshow that will be "hosted" by Stewie, a character from the cult animated series, "The Family Guy." The show, which is scheduled to launch later this year, will be available on various News Corp.-owned Web sites, including familyguy.com. It will be supported by advertising.

MTV Networks, Oxygen Begin Offering Programming on iTunes

MTV Networks has begun offering programs from its MTV, MTV2, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and The N channels for purchase and download on Apple's iTunes Music Store. MTV Networks shows now available for download to video iPods include "Punk'd," "South Park," "Dora the Explorer" (note: the latter is the first preschool program to be offered on iTunes), "SpongeBob SquarePants," "Laguna Beach," "Stand-Up" (note: the latter is iTunes' first stand-up comedy program), "Drawn Together" (note: to promote the availability of Comedy Central programs on iTunes, an episode of the channel's satirical animated show, "Drawn Together," was offered on the service free of charge three days in advance of its linear TV premiere), "Laguna Beach" and "Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Gauntlet 2" (note: the latter two shows are the first reality-based titles to be offered on iTunes). The shows are priced at $1.99 each. "The iTunes Music Store provides an innovative way for us to get our wide range of programming to our viewers," MTV Networks' chief digital officer, Jason Hirschhorn, said in a prepared statement. "iTunes allows us to connect our content to even more audiences. We're committed to having our programming on multiple platforms as our audience's media consumption behavior evolves."

In related news: Oxygen, a cable/satellite channel targeted at women, has begun offering free, commercial-free video podcasts, based on its original series, "Campus Ladies" (an improvisational comedy about two middle-aged housewives who go back to university) and "Snapped" (a true-crime series focusing on women accused of murder), on iTunes. 10 10-minute Campus Ladies "featurettes" and three 8-minute Snapped "featurettes" have been available for download on the service since February 1st.

MTV Debuts Pink's New Video Online

Music programmer, MTV, recently premiered "Stupid Girls," the latest music video from singer, Pink, on its broadband programming service, MTV Overdrive. The video was made available on-demand on the service for 24 hours on January 26th, following the broadcast of a 60-second tease for the video on that day's edition of the show, "Total Request Live." The broadcast premiere of the video took place on January 30th.

BlueHighways TV, Lime Begin Offering Programming on Google Video Store

BlueHighways TV, a TV channel and programming service that describes its mission as exploring "the people, stories, traditions and cultures of America," is now offering programming on Google's recently launched Google Video Store. 29 BlueHighways TV titles are currently available on Google's service, including "America's Backroads," "American Journeys," "Due West," "Storyteller's Theater," and "Reno's Old Time Music Festival." "BlueHighways TV continues to expand the ways in which our audience can view our fresh and original Americana programming," BlueHighways CEO, Stan Hitchcock, said in a prepared statement. "With Google Video, our fans from all over the world can easily catch our programs on their PC's and, eventually, on wireless devices, as well."

In related news:

• Multiplatform programmer, Lime, has also begun offering a range of content on the Google Video Store. Content on offer includes documentaries, series, short-form programs and more, covering such topics as healthy living, alternative healing techniques, and yoga, and priced between $1.99 and $3.99 per title. "Core to Lime's mission to provide inspiring, helpful and entertaining content on any and all platforms, Google Video will be a key tool for this, as Lime's growing fan base can access content on their PC's and, eventually, on wireless devices, as well," the company's CEO, CJ Kettler, said in a statement.
• Marissa Meyer, the Google VP who oversees all the company's search products, conceded in an interview with the Bloomberg news service last month that the design of the Google Video Store is wanting, and makes it difficult for consumers to find the service's premium content: "We made a big mistake," she told the news service. "You can't come out and launch a product like Google Video and say 'CSI' and 'Survivor' are there if they're not on the home page.''

Bravo to Launch Broadband VOD Offering on NBC's Olympics Web Site

NBC Universal's Bravo channel is supplementing NBC's coverage of the Turin Winter Olympics with a broadband VOD offering called "Bravo at the Olympics." The offering will consist of a series of 90-second to four-minute "vignettes," featuring the stars of various Bravo series, such as "Queer Eye's" Ted Allen, and "Top Chef's" Katie Lee Joel and Tom Colicchio. The vignettes, which will be available as an ad sales package, will be available on www.nbcolympics.com a week in advance of the games (a number of vignettes will also be available on Bravo's own Web site). "The vignettes take a unique and different look at the Olympics from some of Bravo's most popular stars, while exposing them to the enormous traffic that will visit nbcolympics.com during the month of February," NBC Olympics president, Gary Zenkel, explained in a prepared statement. Vignettes on offer will include Katie Lee Joel and Tom Collichio introducing viewers to the cuisine of the Turin area, and Ted Allen giving viewers a lesson on the region's wines.

The N Launches "Degrassi" Spin-Off Exclusively for Broadband

The N, an MTV Networks nighttime channel targeted at teenagers, has launched an original series exclusively for broadband. Entitled "Degrassi Minis" and based on The N's flagship series, "Degrassi High," the show will be offered on-demand on the channel's Web site (www.the-n.com) through March 17th: a new two- to three-minute episode will debut on the site each week. According to the channel, while some of the episodes take place in between existing episodes of the linear TV show, others will be "completely fantastical takes on the Degrassi universe," or will resurrect characters who are no longer on the linear show. "For our teen audience, primetime is as much about the Web as it is about television, so we are very excited to present The N's first original narrative content made exclusively for The-N.com," Tom Ascheim, the channel's EVP and general manager, said in a prepared statement.

Heavy.com to Offer "Banned" Super Bowl Commercials On-Demand

To mark Super Bowl XL, multiplatform programmer, Heavy.com, is offering a selection of commercials that were rejected for inclusion in Super Bowl broadcasts. Those commercials--which are being offered under the banner "Super-Banned Bowl"--include director's cuts of last year's controversial spots for GoDaddy.com, as well as spots from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), designed to discourage consumption of animal products. Visitors to the site will be able to vote for their favorite rejected commercial. "The Super-Banned Bowl is for those companies and organizations who were denied their inalienable right to spend millions of dollars for 30 seconds of glory during the Super Bowl," co-CEO Carson said in a refreshingly tongue-in-cheek prepared statement.

Super Bowl Commercials Available On-Demand on Multiple Platforms

The National Football League (NFL) is making commercials from Sunday's Super Bowl XL American football championship available on-demand on multiple platforms. The NFL's programming arm, the NFL Network, is offering the commercials on its cable VOD service, on its Web site, and on its mobile content service. The commercials debuted on the three platforms midnight Sunday, and will be available through February 12th. Super Bowl XL commercials will also be available for viewing on-demand on ABC-Disney's ESPN.com and ESPN360 Web sites (note: the Super Bowl was broadcast by ABC), as well as on Yahoo!, AOL, Google Video and MSN. In addition, Super Bowl XL advertiser, Anheuser-Busch, is making its own Super Bowl commercials available for download on its Budweiser.com Web site.

Warner Bros., arvato mobile in Broadband VOD Joint Venture

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group has formed a broadband VOD joint venture, dubbed "In2Movies," with Bertelsmann-subsidiary, arvato mobile. The service, which will offer a range of download-to-own movies and TV programs to German, Austrian and Swiss-German consumers, will be based on arvato mobile's GNAB platform, a centrally controlled peer-to-peer delivery system that incorporates content-protection features. The service's movies will be offered day-and-date with their German-language DVD release. The initial version of the service, scheduled to launch next month, will allow consumers to download content to their PC's, while a future version will allow them to download content to DVD recorders and other portable devices. "Through this partnership with arvato mobile, Warner Bros. will be breaking new ground in legal digital delivery, providing a rich experience at affordable prices," Kevin Tsujihara, president of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, said in a prepared statement. "One of the most effective weapons for defeating online piracy is providing legal, easy-to-use alternatives. Warner Bros. continues its role as an industry leader by expanding the reach of its digital content through this extremely innovative platform. Our initial efforts will focus on the German market but in the months ahead we will leverage this technology to better serve markets around the world."

At launch, the service will feature around 80 Warner Bros. new releases, library titles, and local productions, offered on a non-exclusive basis, including such titles as "Batman Begins," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "The O.C.," and "Friends." It will also feature programming from local distributors and third-party content providers. Consumers will be able to download titles directly from an In2Movies Web site, via click-through from other Web sites, and via retail partner Web sites.

Rogers Cable to Offer CBC's Olympics Coverage On-Demand

Canadian MSO, Rogers Cable, plans to offer coverage of the 2006 Winter Olympics from Canadian public broadcaster, CBC, free of charge on its VOD service in Ontario (note: Rogers says that the service is currently available to around 830,000 Ontario households). The coverage will debut on the service February 11th: programming will be made available for on-demand viewing 24 hours after its live broadcast. "For the first time, CBC will be offering our daily Olympic broadcast package with approximately 13 hours of English Olympic programming each day on video-on-demand," Claude Galipeau, CBC's executive director of digital services and business development, said in a prepared statement. "CBC is committed to reaching Canadians with the programming they want, when and where they want it and we are pleased to partner with Rogers on the VOD platform for the 2006 Torino Games."

In related news: US broadcast network NBC plans to offer around 12 hours of free, on-demand coverage of the Olympics, including daily 10-minute highlight videos, and 10 one-hour programs recapping the previous day's figure-skating competition. In addition, in the run-up to the games, the broadcaster is offering 21 five-minute-long, free on-demand programs that provide previews of participating US athletes. NBC also plans to offer video highlights from the games on its Web site.

Gemstar-TV Guide in Long-Term, Multi-Service Agreement with Cox

EPG developer and interactive TV programmer, Gemstar-TV Guide, has signed a long-term, multi-service agreement with cable MSO, Cox Communications. The deal will see Cox continuing to carry Gemstar's showbusiness- and entertainment-themed TV Guide Channel and its interactive horseracing channel, TVG Network; it will also see the MSO deploying TV Guide SPOT, Gemstar's cable and broadband VOD channel, which features entertainment news and catch-up programming.

Most significantly, however, the agreement will see Cox eventually deploying Gemstar EPG products (it currently uses EPG's from Scientific-Atlanta and Aptiv Digital), and calls for Gemstar to work with the MSO on developing technological solutions that will enable Gemstar EPG's to be deployed on the OCAP middleware platform and on TV Works' TV Navigator middleware (note: TV Works is a joint venture between and Cox and Comcast, which the MSO's established last year, after they acquired the North American assets of interactive TV middleware provider, Liberate, the originator of the TV Navigator platform; last summer, TV Works acquired ITV applications provider, MetaTV--see [itvt] Issue 6.10 Part 1). "Providing an excellent user interface to our customers is critically important and will be even more so in the future," Steve Necessary, Cox's VP of video product development, said in a prepared statement. "We are confident in our selection of this world-class solution for our near and long-term needs. The anticipated implementation of the IPG on the TV Works 'TV Navigator' middleware solution and on OCAP middleware is indicative of Cox's and Gemstar-TV Guide's commitment to that technology direction."

Cox Expands its VOD Library to 1,300 Hours

Cable MSO, Cox Communications, has expanded its VOD library to 1,300 content hours through new agreements with an array of broadcasters, all of whose on-demand programming will be offered to Cox's VOD-enabled subscribers free of charge (note: Cox's VOD service is currently available in its Orange County and San Diego, Calif.; Las Vegas; Omaha, Nebraska; Oklahoma City; New Orleans; New England; Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia markets):

• MTV Networks is providing programming from its MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, Noggin, Nick Jr., VH1, CMT and BET channels.
• PBS Kids Sprout is providing programming devoted to pre-schoolers and their caregivers.
• G4 is providing programming devoted to videogames, including industry news, reviews, interviews and insider opinions.
• National Geographic Channel is providing natural history- and anthropology-themed specials, series and documentaries.
• Speed is providing programming targeted at motor sports aficionados and other auto enthusiasts.
• Fuse is providing music videos, artist interviews, concert footage and other rock- and pop-related programming.
• TV Guide SPOT is providing entertainment and showbiz-themed programs as well as "catch-up" shows. (Note: the company behind TV Guide Spot, Gemstar-TV Guide, has just signed a long-term agreement with Cox. For more on that agreement, see article in this issue.)

Comcast Launches New VOD Service, Exercisetv

Cable MSO Comcast has teamed with fitness guru, Jake Steinfeld, to launch Exercisetv, a free, advertising-supported VOD service devoted to fitness, sports instruction and motivational programming. The service, in which athletic footwear manufacturer, New Balance, and Time Warner Cable are equity partners, is now available on Comcast's and Time Warner Cable's VOD services: during a pre-launch trial period on Comcast's VOD service, it achieved more than two million views per month, the MSO says.

The most unique feature of the new service is that, instead of running 30- or 60-second commercials (through which viewers, of course, can easily fast-forward, using the trick-play controls that are standard on VOD systems), it integrates sponsor-branded messages into its content--via product placements, branded graphic overlays, and educational video segments developed in cooperation with sponsors. Comcast says that New Balance has signed a multi-million dollar deal with Exercisetv which designates it as the service's exclusive athletic footwear and apparel sponsor (note: Rainbow Media's niche VOD service, Mag Rack, recently signed a deal with Unilever that will see product placements in its programming, as well as traditional commercials). "Exercisetv represents the next generation of television networks we are developing that are created for time-shifted, on-demand viewing," Steve Burke, president of Comcast Cable and COO of Comcast Corporation, said in a prepared statement. "Fitness content is ideally suited for video-on-demand, and the multi-billion dollar home exercise market offers a great business opportunity for additional Exercisetv sponsors. This partnership also is a major step in the evolution of advertising through new and innovative formats."

The service offers around 90 programs (Comcast claims that each of the programs would typically cost $14.99 on DVD), targeted at a range of fitness levels, ages and interests. The programs on offer include workouts for seniors, children, pregnant women, and new mothers; Spanish-language workouts; and shows devoted to such forms of exercise as cardio, Pilates, yoga, tai chi, dancing and walking. An Exercisetv advisory board of fitness and nutritional experts is working with Comcast and Steinfeld to develop new, original programming for the service, which is scheduled to debut later this year. In addition, a number of Exercisetv programs have been developed in collaboration with New Balance. The service features a companion Web site (www.exercisetv.tv), which provides a range of resources, including program samples and tips for planning workout schedules. In the coming months, Comcast says, viewers will be able to purchase items on the site that have been featured on Exercisetv programming, including fitness apparel, equipment and extended versions of their favorite workouts on DVD. The service is also expected to eventually include wireless mobile elements (for example, wireless alerts reminding people that they are due for a workout).

Music Choice's Free VOD Service Launches on Bresnan Communications

Multiplatform music programmer, Music Choice (note: the company is a partnership between subsidiaries of Microsoft, Motorola, Sony Corporation of America, EMI Music, Adelphia, Comcast, Cox, and Time Warner Cable), is launching its free VOD service to digital subscribers of cable MSO, Bresnan Communications, in Colorado, Montana and Wyoming. The Bresnan launch means that Music Choice's VOD service--which offers music videos in multiple genres (viewers have the option of watching pre-programmed video playlists from a "Hot Video Lists" category), exclusive music-related shows, concert coverage, artist interviews and studio performances--is now offered by three major cable MSO's, the other two being Comcast and Cox.

Warner Home Video to Release Enhanced Version of "Penguins" Movie on VOD

Warner Home Video's On Demand division says that, on March 1st, it will re-release an exclusive version of the penguin adventure film, "March of the Penguins," for VOD and pay-per-view that will include the company's "Movies that Pop" feature throughout the entire film. (Note: "Movies that Pop," which launched in December, provides "instant windows"or information bars on-screen, highlighting facts, figures and trivia about a movie; until now, it has been offered in conjunction with select scenes, repeated at the movie's end, rather than throughout the entire movie.) This represents the first time that a studio has opted to release an enhanced version of a theatrically released film exclusively for VOD and PPV. According to a survey that Warner Home Video On Demand recently commissioned, 77 percent of respondents stated that they "loved" the "Movies that Pop" feature, and 70 percent stated that they would like to see an entire movie enhanced with the feature.

up to headlines

ABOUT [itvt]

*Founded by Tracy Swedlow in November 1997
*Began Publishing June 1998
*Read in over 100 countries
*Demographics are provided upon request from qualified persons

[itvt] is an ITV/broadband advisory and media company which identifies new trends, business opportunities, and relationships within the interactive television broadband space. [itvt] offers professional services, products, and programs to clients. These include our free email newsletter, focused analysis and advice sessions, in-depth research reports, a B2B portal Web site, networking and workshop events, dynamic online discussion groups, and interactive database resources.

Today, more than ever before, [itvt] believes it is imperative to develop dynamic, flexible, and robust interactiveTV platforms that allow us to learn from and talk about our world and the cultures in it in a free, constructive, and proactive manner.

MISSION

1. to report the latest business developments and technologies
2. to feature the companies and people building the marketplace
3. to investigate new content and tcommerce projects
4. to provide contextual and critical analysis on all of the above

WEB SITE

http://www.itvt.com

EDITORIAL CONTACT

If you would like to submit something for review or want to send a press release, please contact us. We prefer FedX packages, UPS, or email releases. Phone is okay to follow up.

Tracy Swedlow
Publisher, Editor-in-Chief
415-824-5806
swedlow@itvt.com

ADVERTISING CONTACT

[itvt] has a highly targeted and growing subscriber base that wants to know about your services. Click Advertising for more information. For options and prices, contact:

Richard Washbourne
Managing Editor & VP Sales
415-824-5806
rwashbourne@itvt.com

WRITERS

Send a cover letter, your resume, and clips to swedlow@itvt.com

TO SUBSCRIBE

E-Mail: Text HTML

or go to http://www.itvt.com/subscribe.html.

TO UNSUBSCRIBE

Put your email address in the field below and click "Unsub."

PRIVACY POLICY

[itvt] does not sell or trade subscribers' names or personal information to any interested parties.

DISCLAIMER

InteractiveTV Today [itvt] and its agents used their best efforts in collecting and preparing the information published herein. However, InteractiveTV Today [itvt] does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any and all liability for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions resulted from negligence, accident, or other causes.

Copyright 1998 - 2006 [itvt] | Swedlow. All rights reserved.