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Interactive TV specialist, Two Way TV, is partnering with Yomego, a company best known for creating 3D virtual characters, on a platform that the companies say will allow TV viewers to create personalized, animated 3D avatars that can chat and play games live on TV. According to the companies, the new platform is targeted at broadcasters that want to create strong interactive communities around their programs and brands: viewers will first go to a Web site where they can create their avatar (referred to by the companies as a "digital identity" or "didi"); they will be able to download their avatar to their PC or mobile, and then, using Two Way TV’s Simcast technology (note: the latter is used by a number of UK broadcasters, including ITV and Turner Broadcasting), will be able to send it to the TV screen where they will be able to use it to chat in real time, play games and participate in other live activities. "From our experience with playalong text services, we know people just love getting their names on-screen, their opinions aired or just the bragging rights from being at the top of a leaderboard," Two Way TV commercial director, Guy Templer, said in a prepared statement. "Yomego’s platform adds another dimension–you get to control your own alter ego on-screen. We think this is a great marriage bringing the power and cohesion of the online virtual community together with the excitement and reach of the television screen–the ultimate in user-generated content." Added Mike Antliff, managing director of Yomego’s parent company, the DA Group: "Our avatars have proved very popular with broadcasters, but we are keen to bring them into a multiplatform environment where whole communities can be created. Two Way TV’s expertise and success in the text-to-TV environment and interactive games market makes this a very valuable partnership. We look forward to working with them and bringing broadcasters new opportunities for revenue streams." While the collaboration with Two Way TV represents the first time that it has been possible to run Yomego’s animated avatars in real time on TV, the avatars have been used by MTV for its online MTV Flux service (allowing MTV viewers set up a digital identity that travels with them to multiple MTV services), and by Five and the X-Factor as promotional "desk-top buddies" for their viewers.

Originally Published: October 17, 2006 Part 3 in [itvt] Issue 7.00

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