Pop Idol Expands Interactive Applications
ITV’s Pop Idol is expanding its interactive applications to enable viewers to vote for contestants via their remote controls for the first time.
Fans of the reality-TV talent show will be able to access a range of interactive content and a number of games created by Littlewoods Game On. The new services will be available on the Sky Digital platform 24 hours a day and will run alongside the official Pop Idol website.
The interactive applications will also feature a special ChocIdols competition created by Nestle, which agreed to sponsor Pop Idol in a record-breaking deal worth £6 million (see ITV Secures Nestlé As Record £6m Sponsor Of Pop Idol).
In addition to the new interactive applications, O2 will provide mobile phone users with text message news alerts to keep them up to date with any exciting developments from the show. Viewers will also be able to text in their views and see them run along the bottom of the screen during the ITV2 Pop Idol Extra programmes.
Commenting on the new features, Jane Marshall, ITV’s interactive controller, said: “Our new service will be easy to use and give fans as much Pop Idol information as they could want or need, at any time of day. Voting will be simple and viewers don’t have to leave their sofas or miss any of the show, as well as enjoying all the extra games whenever they want to.
She added: “I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here interactive was a huge success earlier this year, with over 1 million people voting via their remote control, and we hope that Pop Idol interactive will be just as popular.”
AOL recently secured an agreement with RealNetworks to provide its broadband members with video content from the latest series of Pop Idol, in a bid to boost uptake of its high-speed internet service (see AOL Hopes To Boost Broadband With Pop Idol).
ITV: 020 7843 8000 www.itv.com
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