Two Way TV Acquires the Interactive Technology Assets of Mindhouse

--Says Mindset Platform Will Strengthen its Multi-Platform Strategy

UK-based interactive TV and mobile services specialist, Two Way TV (TWTV), yesterday announced that it has reached a deal to buy the interactive technology assets of UK-based ITV technology provider and applications developer, Mindhouse, from Antony Batty & Company, the firm overseeing Mindhouse's administration. According to TWTV, the acquisition is a "natural step," as Mindhouse has a similar client base to its own (it says that it will continue to offer services to existing Mindhouse customers) and as Mindhouse's Mindset service delivery platform--which supports the deployment of interactive services across satellite, terrestrial and cable television, IPTV, the Web and mobile--complements TWTV's existing cross-platform technology products (note: TWTV describes its "core mission" as the delivery of content across multiple platforms, including TV, mobile, 3G video, and the Web).

TWTV, which itself went into administration in 2003, has been expanding in recent months: last year, it acquired mobile-to-TV services specialist, Broadcast Games, and in March it launched a production and distribution arm, Two Way Productions. "The Mindset system and toolset is highly complementary to our existing technology, and enables us to more rapidly roll out our ambition to be a multi- platform production company and delivery partner for broadcasters," TWTV CEO, Jean de Fougerolles, said in a prepared statement.

Mindhouse, which was founded in 2001 and which went into administration last month, initially focused on application development, and secured a range of customers that included Global Interactive Gaming (it developed the ITV version of the latter's SportXction play- by-play betting system, which recently launched on Sky), ITVi (which last year commissioned it to develop a Christmas-themed ITV application, and which earlier commissioned it to develop services for the show, "Who Wants to be a Millionaire"), Channel 4 (which commissioned it to develop ITV apps for "Big Brother"), and the BBC. It launched Mindset last year, but despite securing £450,000 of venture capital to support the development of the platform, and despite securing Turner Broadcasting Systems Europe as a Mindset customer, it eventually ran out of money. A potential deal, which the company was negotiating with another broadcaster and which it had hoped would mitigate its financial problems, was never consummated.

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