(25 October 2007 6:00 pm)

MUMBAI: ICTV, which delivers video with broadband choice and control to the television via cable and IPTV networks will demonstrate how its ActiveVideo Distribution Network is enabling the media industry's first universally deployable cross-platform social networking capability at the Telco TV Conference and Expo next week in the US.

ICTV will show how ActiveVideo can bring the fast innovation and personal social networking functionality of Web 2.0 together with broadcast television on any digital set-top box, giving individuals the opportunity for the first time to initiate text-based interaction in real time on the TV from mobile phones and PCs.

The demonstration will use mobile email sent by TelcoTV attendees to illustrate how on-screen communications can quickly be created and modified, using any web device or service, and displayed in conjunction with broadband video and targetted, interactive advertising.

ICTV senior director product marketing Mark Jeffery says, "The Web has conditioned viewers to expect a highly flexible, extremely versatile media and communications environment that often serves as a forum for collective interests.

"ActiveVideo allows network operators to bring that immersive, participatory world to television viewers by integrating Web 2.0 applications and services and social networking with the television viewing experience."

ActiveVideo allows entire libraries of video, on-screen elements and advertising to be searched and selected in a web-like manner via existing remote controls, and to be viewed as television programming. ActiveVideo supports the targeted, interactive banner advertisements and valuable ad showcases that are driving online ad revenues.

ActiveVideo P:Mosaic, the multichannel industry's first customisable, personalized video-rich navigation system, provides easy-to-use navigation, allowing subscribers to view live video from and navigate through a number of channels at a single glance.