interactive tv

Week 6: 03/09/2009

4. "What is your overview of the recent movements in Interactive TV?"

Having grown up in a world of technology and particularly in a household of the latest technology (my father is a nerd) I have become rather desensitised to the progression of interactive TV. I have come to expect the changes and advancements in technology and in television as a normal part of everyday life. I definitely enjoy certain aspects of interactive TV and indulge in them often, such as the interactive options on certain Foxtel channels and the voting capabilities that allow the consumer to contribute to the outcome of programs such as "Australian idol" and "so you think you can dance." I see it as an inevitable change as the upcoming techno generations will not be satisfyed with sitting and staring at a screen for very long - games have become more user-friendly and interactive, and TV is not far behind. The consumer can gain a level of satisfaction from knowing they contributed to person A winning over person B or in being able to choose which programs they watch and when (such as the Foxtel channels with a separate 'my pixs' launchable option), thus generating more interest and more time spent watching and interacting with TV, which in turn benefits the companies providing the interactive service.

All in all the development of interactive TV is, for now, a fairly harmless way of keeping consumers interested in a technology that has not changed much since it was first invented. Though when we look at examples of what the future may hold, such as the clip from the movie Farenheit 451, the concept of interactive TV where the consumer becomes part of the action is a scary thought. Making children get up and be active rather than sitting and staring at a box of pulsing lights is difficult enough in this and past decades - I can't imagine what a fully interactive TV program would mean for a society of consumers who want to be part of the action. We would all turn into watching, listening, staring zombies for the length of a program each day!