Interactive television

Interactive television allows the user and receiver to exchange information at the click of a button. Interactive television allows the user to control the programming content and immediately respond to the programming. One of the first forms of interactive television was publicized during the 1970s by an interactive cable service called QUBE. QUBE customers were given a 5 button set-top decoder box. This box allowed viewers to participate in game shows, call plays in sports games, participate in town meetings, and participate in newspaper studies. The viewer would simply push one of the 5 buttons and their choices were tallied by a computer. At the end of the broadcast, the results were published on air. Unfortunately this service was quite expensive and QUBE went out of business.

In the mid-1990s there were 2 interactive television services; Interactive Network and Videoway. The interaction took place on a small screen that was attached to the television terminal. Viewers were able to play along with game shows, anticipate plays in sporting events, and participate in viewer studies. Videoway went one step further and was able to place the interaction directly on the television screen. Videoway provided original content including children's programming, news programming, and games.

Home shopping networks are a form of interactive television. Quite simply interactive television is a method to connect the viewer with the broadcaster. American Idol has given interactive television a large step forward in telephone voting. Viewers have complete control over the show, by voting who they would like to remain on the program and who they would like to leave.

Live news broadcasts are another form of interactive television. Satellite connections allow a reporter and a news anchor to talk and see one another, though they made be thousands of miles away from each other. When Bill Clinton was President, he used interactive television to hold "town meetings" at conventions that he could not appear at in person.

Educational and churches are using interactive television to reach all of their students or congregation at the same time. The satellite allows for a signal to be broadcast from one room to another remote room. For educational purposes, the students are able to ask questions to the instructor and receive answers as if they were in the same room.

Computers have allowed the satellite signals to become digitized. This means the interactive television can be sent through high-speed networks to your personal computer or television in your home. Viewers can then send responses back to the original broadcaster within a matter of seconds.

Several companies have capitalized on this new service and are offering video-on-demand movies, shopping services, video games, educational programming, and news programming. This new door has allowed the entertainment industry to come up with new applications and they are beginning to reap several benefits. Several sporting events can be ordered through the click of a button or by calling a number. If you are unable to attend the event in person, you can get the same experience in the comfort of your own home. Experts are predicting that interactive television will be one of the most successful areas for future growth for the educational and entertain industries.

Of course the computer is changing the way everything works including interactive television. The computer and the internet are allowing users to participate in large groups of audio and video based transmissions. Like many other forms of technology, interactive television has just hit the tip of the iceberg. Experts predicting a large growth spurt for interactive television and are stating that it will change the way audiences and producers have used television in the past.