MRG One Day Conference: The Future Of Interactive TV

Speaking at last week’s MRG conference, Lucy Shepherd, head of research at CIA UK, said that interactive TV (iTV) needs to be greatly improved if the growing tide of consumer apathy is to be stemmed.

She said that digital TV has failed to inspire viewers since its launch three years ago and explained that interactive services now provide even less of a reason for consumers to get digital TV than they did a year ago. She blamed the poor performance of iTV on the unreliable nature of the current services and said that initial consumer enthusiasm quickly dissipates into confusion.

Presenting the latest CIA research, Shepherd said that viewers are accepting interactive services rather than demanding them and pointed out that 40% of digital owners say that they have no interest in iTV. She called on broadcasters to “Improve every single aspect of the existing interactive television to provide greater benefits to the user.”

She said that interactive services need to be simpler and easier to use and emphasised that interactive advertising, which has proved a complete flop with digital viewers (see Interactive Ads Flop With Digital Viewers), needs to be re-thought.

She explained that advertising needs to provide viewers with quick and easy access to a range of products, which support highstreet brands and and warned that: “Bombarding the viewer with lots of messages only serves to confuse them.”

Shepherd finished her speech on a positive note calling on the industry: “To exploit interactive TV to change the passive viewers into an active consumer.”

More information about the MRG conference can be found on the MRG website: www.mrg.org.uk