Virgin Media have started to use the potential of gaming television to create an interactive platform for their cable provision, reports Informitv. Using the red button on your digital remote you have the ability to create a two way dialogued with what you are seeing on the television in real time. It does not specify the benefits of the use of a piece of technology called the Ark, other then it’s browser capabilities so one would assume it would be like basic Web gaming like point and click which this develop. A later article on this however, entitled “Two way TV acquired through ingenious media investment”, suggests that television is currently not fair or fun yet it should be and the interactive platform will endeavour to provide such interactive programmes as lives game shows. This sounds more promising as the emphasis is not on technology but on formats. Once again this will create a more proactive audience if they can directly interact. However the question is, if you’re juts a viewer you will lack the emotion of seeing others win or lose. In one sense it’s a step back from using the telephone as a way of communication to television (which is rarely used live anyway) but it will be interesting to see how this interactive element develops.
