TV
ITV today announced a major development in its online and interactive strategy with a range of innovative applications for hit entertainment show Who Wants to be a Millionaire, in a deal with the show’s producer, Celador Productions.
ITV has acquired the exclusive UK internet rights to host Who Wants to be a Millionaire online gaming. The ITV website, itv.co.uk, will host a range of games which have already proved hugely successful in both the USA and Germany. ITV2, ITV’s sister channel, has acquired the show’s interactive television rights. The service, to launch later this year, will allow ITV2 viewers to play along with the show on their TV sets.
Four games will be launched by ITV on itv.co.uk, including one which is synchronised with the TV transmission allowing users to compete with on-air contestants. A multiplay game will allow up to 10 players to compete head-to-head online. The first game to launch, in early April 2001, will be available 24 hours per day for single users to play online. In a pan-ITV partnership, Carlton Interactive will supply the hardware and manage the technical, hosting and on-going maintenance of the gaming site, whilst Granada Broadband will design the pages.
A new form of online advertising, an e-mercial, will be developed alongside the games. The e-mercial, a new concept for the internet, is a 7 second animation which is the online equivalent to the television commercial and must be watched by the user before they progress to the next round of the game. The e-mercial can be targeted to specific demographics, using information taken when a user registers on the site. Banner advertising and sponsorship opportunities will also be available on the site, and all commercial sales will be handled by Carlton Hyperactive, Carlton’s online sales division.
John Hardie, ITV’s Marketing and Commercial Director said:
“This is an excellent opportunity for ITV to take a major step forward in its new media strategy. The exclusive presence of Millionaire games on the ITV website, cross-promoted from the programme itself, clearly has the ability to generate enormous traffic. This deal also consolidates the strong working relationship between ITV and Celador, and allows the development of one of the UK’s most popular television brands onto new platforms in a powerful partnership.???
ITV2 and Celador are developing an interactive format that, for the first time, will allow digital television viewers to play along with studio contestants. Once the service is launched, at the same time as Who Wants To Be A Millionaire is broadcast on ITV, ITV2 will transmit each episode with added interactivity. ITV2 viewers will have the opportunity to register their answers to questions as they come up on the show and accrue scores throughout the whole episode.
Andrew Chowns, ITV2’s Commercial Director, said:
“We have always wanted to offer new interactive services to digital viewers of ITV2, and this deal with Celador is real progress towards this goal. I can’t think of a better programme for interactive applications than Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. We believe that this is going to be a significant driver for ITV2 and for digital television in general.???
Initially, the interactive service will be available to viewers via digital terrestrial (either ONdigital set-top boxes or digital terrestrial TV sets). Digital cable and digital satellite versions will be introduced as soon as practicable.
Ellis Watson, Managing Director, Celador International said:
“We are obviously delighted that ITV have secured the internet rights for Millionaire. The software applications that we have developed and the business models that they generate are phenomenal and we are sure that our partnership with ITV will be a strong and successful one."
ITV has acquired the exclusive UK internet rights to host Who Wants to be a Millionaire online gaming. The ITV website, itv.co.uk, will host a range of games which have already proved hugely successful in both the USA and Germany. ITV2, ITV’s sister channel, has acquired the show’s interactive television rights. The service, to launch later this year, will allow ITV2 viewers to play along with the show on their TV sets.
Four games will be launched by ITV on itv.co.uk, including one which is synchronised with the TV transmission allowing users to compete with on-air contestants. A multiplay game will allow up to 10 players to compete head-to-head online. The first game to launch, in early April 2001, will be available 24 hours per day for single users to play online. In a pan-ITV partnership, Carlton Interactive will supply the hardware and manage the technical, hosting and on-going maintenance of the gaming site, whilst Granada Broadband will design the pages.
A new form of online advertising, an e-mercial, will be developed alongside the games. The e-mercial, a new concept for the internet, is a 7 second animation which is the online equivalent to the television commercial and must be watched by the user before they progress to the next round of the game. The e-mercial can be targeted to specific demographics, using information taken when a user registers on the site. Banner advertising and sponsorship opportunities will also be available on the site, and all commercial sales will be handled by Carlton Hyperactive, Carlton’s online sales division.
John Hardie, ITV’s Marketing and Commercial Director said:
“This is an excellent opportunity for ITV to take a major step forward in its new media strategy. The exclusive presence of Millionaire games on the ITV website, cross-promoted from the programme itself, clearly has the ability to generate enormous traffic. This deal also consolidates the strong working relationship between ITV and Celador, and allows the development of one of the UK’s most popular television brands onto new platforms in a powerful partnership.???
ITV2 and Celador are developing an interactive format that, for the first time, will allow digital television viewers to play along with studio contestants. Once the service is launched, at the same time as Who Wants To Be A Millionaire is broadcast on ITV, ITV2 will transmit each episode with added interactivity. ITV2 viewers will have the opportunity to register their answers to questions as they come up on the show and accrue scores throughout the whole episode.
Andrew Chowns, ITV2’s Commercial Director, said:
“We have always wanted to offer new interactive services to digital viewers of ITV2, and this deal with Celador is real progress towards this goal. I can’t think of a better programme for interactive applications than Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. We believe that this is going to be a significant driver for ITV2 and for digital television in general.???
Initially, the interactive service will be available to viewers via digital terrestrial (either ONdigital set-top boxes or digital terrestrial TV sets). Digital cable and digital satellite versions will be introduced as soon as practicable.
Ellis Watson, Managing Director, Celador International said:
“We are obviously delighted that ITV have secured the internet rights for Millionaire. The software applications that we have developed and the business models that they generate are phenomenal and we are sure that our partnership with ITV will be a strong and successful one."
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