Optus and MTV are about the launch the first participation TV program of its kind in the country – called Vidcast, the program which airs 3-4pm weekdays on MTV’s The Music Factory (TMF) allows audiences to participate by contributing original video content via a video call or MMS.
According to Optus, the new program will open up a world of interactive TV which will ’empower’ viewers.
“More and more people are connecting and sharing content online. We’ve seen this with the explosion in popularity of social networking sites like MySpace and online video sites like YouTube in recent years,” said Optus Consumer Group marketing director, Michael Smith.
Optus Zoo customers will be able to access extra content from their handsets and send in videos using the 3G video calling service.
“Participation TV is a dynamic new technology that will bring this online element to television transforming viewers from passive to active audiences and allowing fans with similar interests to connect,” said Smith.
“Optus has a strong presence in the youth market so powering this kind of fresh technology is a good fit for our business.”
Successful entries to Vidcast will appear on the TMF Vidcast program from 22 January 2008 and will also be published on the Optus Zoo Vidcast mobile WAP site or, as an exclusive offer for Optus mobile customers, on a Vidcast one hour mobile loop available at Optus Zoo later this month.
“This technology enables viewers to contribute to the channel in a very personal way,” said MTV digital media director, Matt Fayle.
“With the application being as simple as making a video call from a mobile phone, viewers can then upload their recorded footage direct to the TV screen. Vidcast is the perfect fusion of mobile and broadcast.”
