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Net Briefs

Jun 18, 2001  •  Post A Comment

TechTV to practice what it preaches
TechTV, a cable television channel that airs programming centered around the digital lifestyle, is beginning to embody the technology-journalism content aired on its network in its business strategy. The cable net, which is owned by cable magnate and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, is quietly initiating discussions with sister company Digeo Broadband about incorporating a TechTV-branded video-on-demand “personal television” channel into Digeo’s interactive portal (often called a “walled garden”) for cable operators. TechTV is also hoping to soon introduce to cable customers who subscribe to both its network and WorldGate’s interactive guide an enhanced version of its programming that will allow viewers to manipulate objects embedded in the video with their remote controls. To date, most interactive television offerings have only let audiences click on blocks of graphics programmed in HTML that are layered on top on television video.
OpenTV eyes launch
of targeted ad tool
Television software creator OpenTV is planning to introduce by the middle of next year a targeted advertising tool that would profile television viewers using a variety of methods, including opt-in questionnaires. The results would be processed to create an advertising service that can be modified according to audience demographics. OpenTV, which reaches subscribers of EchoStar’s direct broadcast satellite television and personal video recording services through its partnership with the DBS provider, is working with Predictive Networks to develop the advertising mechanism.