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AT&T has launched an interactive application, called Film Awards Interactive, for the iPhone/iPod touch and for its Microsoft Mediaroom-powered IPTV platform, U-verse TV. According to AT&T, among other things, the free app lets consumers use their remote control or their iPhone/iPod touch screen to:

Because the [itvt] editorial team is busy working on The TV of Tomorrow Show (March 3rd-4th in San Francisco) and on our new, post-TVOT EBIF Intensive event (March 5th in San Francisco), we are covering a number of stories in this issue in summary form:

On Demand Group (ODG), the London-based content-aggregation-and-management subsidiary of SeaChange International, contacted [itvt] Wednesday to let us know that it is providing a fully managed VOD offering for United Arab Emirates-based telco, du, as part of the latter's du TV and du TV+ IPTV services.

As was widely anticipated, 3D TV has emerged as one of the major themes of this year's Consumer Electronics Show--and a number of pieces of 3D TV news came across [itvt]'s desk, Tuesday. Here is a brief round-up:

Portland, Oregon-based interactive TV authoring solutions provider, Ensequence, announced Wednesday that it has added two more members to its sales team: Jeff Siegel and Manon Bone, who will both hold the title, VP of sales. According to Ensequence, Siegel (who previously worked at ESPN) and Bone (who previously worked at NBC Universal and Microsoft's MSN) bring a combined total of over 40 years of experience in sales, marketing and development of advanced media platforms to the company.

--Develops Interactive TV Application for Ocean Finance

Sports programmer, ESPN, has launched an updated version of the player that forms the core of its subscription-based broadband video service, ESPN360.com (note: according to ESPN, in September ESPN360.com's total hours spent viewing and unique viewers were up nearly 400% over the year-ago period). "ESPN360.com's first full year as a live broadband TV network has been an amazing success," ESPN360.com VP, Damon Phillips, said in a prepared statement. "We streamed more than 3,000 live sports events--including some of the biggest events on the global sports scene--and, with the release of our enhanced player and homepage, the year ahead will be even better."

--Rolls Out its Interactive Media Guide in Multiple New Markets
--Expands its Line-Up of VOD Programming

Sports broadcaster, ESPN, and Major League Baseball's Advanced Media arm (MLBAM) have signed a digital rights agreement that will expand and extend their current agreement through 2013. The agreement includes rights for ESPN.com, ESPN360.com, ESPN's mobile initiatives (including ESPN Mobile TV), emerging platforms such as interactive TV, video game consoles and portable devices, and syndication of ESPN-licensed content. It also covers all new platforms that ESPN creates or develops relationships with through 2013, and covers digital rights worldwide (except for certain Asian and Pacific Rim markets).

--Taps NAVTEQ for FiOS TV Traffic Widget

Verizon's FiOS TV service has teamed with ESPN on an interactive TV
fantasy sports application that provides viewers with scores and
statistics for their fantasy teams, updated in real time. According to
Verizon's director of interactive TV, Rachelle Zoffer, the application
was developed internally, is rolling out on a market-by-market basis, is
currently in around half of Verizon's FiOS TV markets, and should be
available nationwide shortly. "It's been getting great usage--especially
on Sunday game days," Zoffer told [itvt]. Video of the application is

Satellite TV provider, DirecTV, recently offered an interactive TV
application to accompany its coverage of the French Open tennis
tournament. Dubbed French Open Interactive and available from May
25th through June 1st, the application was developed by DirecTV in
partnership with the Tennis Channel and ESPN2. It offered complete
coverage of play on five courts during the tournament's first six days,
and eight hours of coverage on Saturday, May 31st and Sunday, June
1st: according to DirecTV, the service offered a total of 350 hours of
tournament coverage. At the core of the service was a "mix" channel
that allowed viewers to watch up to six live matches simultaneously,

Sports programmer, ESPN, is syndicating its video content through a
third-party Internet portal for the first time, thanks to a new deal with
AOL that sees it offering short-form video on AOL's AOL Video and
AOL Sports services (note: ESPN.com's own video portal has proven
fairly popular: according to ESPN, consumers viewed its videos over
1.2 billion times last year, representing a 54% increase over 2006). The
video content includes highlights from games and major sporting
events and clips from ESPN's original programs, and is presented in an
embedded ESPN player on a dedicated ESPN channel page.
"ESPN.com video is second to none, and we are excited by the
expanded reach afforded us through this syndication agreement," Matt