Promoters of video-on-demand ally to urge quicker adoption. (Technology).A new trade organization has formed in Santa Monica Santa Monica (săn`tə mŏn`ĭkə), city (1990 pop. 86,905), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1886. Tourism and retailing are important, and the city has motion-picture, biotechnology, and software industries. to jumpstart the stalled interactive television industry. The Interactive Television Alliance will focus on business development, marketing and lobbying through infomercials, print supplements, e-mail marketing Email marketing is a form of direct marketing which uses electronic mail as a means of communicating commercial or fundraising messages to an audience. In its broadest sense, every email sent to a potential or current customer could be considered email marketing. and public demonstrations of interactive television technology. It is backed by television networks, ad agencies, production companies, hardware manufacturers, cable and satellite TV operators and software and application companies. "Interactive TV is in an inactive state right now," said Ben Mendelson, the association's president and former vice president of Internet development at the Electronic Retailing Association. "Everyone's waiting "Everyone's Waiting" is the 63rd episode and series finale of the HBO original series Six Feet Under. It was the 12th episode of the show's fifth season. The episode was written and directed by Alan Ball. It originally aired on August 21, 2005. for events to push it forward." Interactive television, or "the remote control on steroids steroids, class of lipids having a particular molecular ring structure called the cyclopentanoperhydro-phenanthrene ring system. Steroids differ from one another in the structure of various side chains and additional rings. " as Mendelson calls it, allows viewers to use links to click through programming much the same way they would surf the Web. Uses range from gathering additional information during an educational program to playing along with a game show or shopping for products discussed during a show. In all, Mendelson said, 130 companies have pledged membership in the organization, which is awaiting non-profit designation. Founding members include Liberate (Liberate Technologies, San Mateo, CA) A software company that specialized in the information appliance field. Formerly Network Computer, Inc. (NCI), a spin-off from Oracle in 1996, it changed its name in 1999. Technologies, NBC NBC in full National Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. commercial broadcasting company. It was formed in 1926 by RCA Corp., General Electric Co. (GE), and Westinghouse and was the first U.S. company to operate a broadcast network. , OpenTV, Canal Plus, ACTV ACTV Active ACTV Activate ACTV Azienda del Consorzio Trasporti Veneziano (Venice Public Transport Company, Italy) ACTV Advanced Compatible Television Inc. and WorldGate Service Inc. (Last week, cable giant Liberty Media Corp. announced it would acquire OpenTV and the 84 percent of ACTV it did not already own.) The alliance's projected annual budget of $300,000 will be funded through memberships of $500 for individuals and $2,500 corporate memberships. Governing memberships will cost $5,000. Cynthia Brumfield, president of research and analysis company Broadband Intelligence Inc., said the alliance is necessary if the industry is to move beyond interactive program guides. She believes interactive television will progress to the point where people will shop through their televisions, and sees the alliance as a first step. Gary Arlen, president of Arlen Communications, a Bethesda, Md., research firm specializing in interactive media, isn't as sanguine sanguine /san·guine/ (sang´gwin) 1. plethoric. 2. ardent or hopeful. san·guine adj. 1. Of a healthy, reddish color; ruddy. 2. . "There is considerable skepticism about the value of an interactive television association right now," he said. "The industry is puttering along at such a level that an association has very little to fight for or against." Staff reporter Christopher Keough can be reached at (323) 549-5225 ext. 235, or at ckeough@labusinessjournal.com. |
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