Advice
Programme buy-in is vital
When presenters invite viewers to press the red key, the results are startling. This is amply demonstrated by the work of Anne Robinson and Phillip Schofield. On Digital Satellite alone, we calculate that on average a million viewers have pressed red for each Test The Nation.The Chelsea Flower Show multistream service attracted 500,000 viewers thanks to presenters promoting it effectively.
Across the UK, 11.8m people viewed at least 1 minute of the 2008 Olympics coverage via the Red Button (on all platforms).
The benefit should be obvious
At Christmas 2003 viewers were encouraged to 'Sing Along' with Top Of The Pops, The Sound of Music and The Wizard Of Oz. These karaoke services did exactly what they said on the tin, presenting the song lyrics in a banner along the bottom of the screen.
Around three quarter of a million viewers joined in with each programme.
Simple user journeys work best
If viewers need a manual to use the service, many will simply leave.
A single-purpose service may be enough
all the viewer's needs may be answered by one thing: a vote, or being able to switch audio. They do not necessarily need multiple options within each interactive programme service. We encourage producers here to think of the main purpose of the service, and to ask themselves whether it needs to do any more than that.
Only certain types of programming benefit from a multistream video service, and the cost of producing special video for multistream services can be, as we know, prohibitive.
Audio can be as powerful as video
Anecdotally, Ref's Mic on Six Nations, the alternative Five Live commentary on FA Cup and the same on World Cup have all proved winners.
Bite-size
Bite-sized chunks of information appear to work better for viewers than endless screens of text.
Not all extra content is welcome
Digital viewers have already become used to interactive TV. They are no longer impressed by the fact that they are being given extra content. They probably won't value an interactive TV service presenting content that wasn't considered good enough for the actual programme, or if it's used to "bury" information that would otherwise appear on screen, such as credits.
The BBC Red Button "space" is as valuable as linear programme space.
Think like a viewer
We're convinced that the most successful applications begin with the thought "what would make it worth the viewer's while to press red". The interactive TV experience should be as editorially focussed as the programme it accompanies.
More information
More information about Interactive TV 24/7 (permanent services) and frequently asked questions.
Page last updated 1 July 2009
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