Interactive TV News Round-Up (I): BBC Sport, BT Vision, Miramax, Crackle, CinemaNow, Xbox Live

Due to the large volume of news generated by the recent 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and other factors, we are covering stories in this issue in round-up/summary format. We anticipate that it will take us several more days to process all the news from the show: so if your company has sent us a press release or briefed us on an announcement, and you don't yet see your news covered in this issue, please bear with us.

• The BBC has relaunched its BBC Sport Web site, with a new emphasis on live coverage, and with new social features. "This is the first major update of the site in almost a decade and reflects the changing needs of sports fans as more and more license-fee payers go online to get up-to-the minute updates on the biggest sporting events, as they happen," the corporation explains in its press materials. "As such, live coverage sits at the heart of the new designs. Whether it's text commentary on transfer deadline day, audio and video coverage of events, or highly visual and immersive, up-to-the- second tables and stats--this is a sports service custom-built for modern sports fans...The new site also introduces the simpler, cleaner award-winning design already introduced on other BBC sites such as News, Weather and BBC iPlayer, together with a navigation system that will make it much easier for users to find the content they're looking for. As well as getting users quickly to the content that they want, visitors to the site will also benefit from enhanced social functions that will make sharing content easier than ever before; with community at the heart of the BBC's editorial plans for 2012, features such as comment modules will be added in coming months...As more audiences connect with the BBC on four screens, (Web, smartphones, tablets and connected TV's) the relaunch of BBC Sport is just the first step of a 2012 innovation story in the build-up to the London Olympic Games. With further Web innovations and products for connected TV's and smartphones planned for launch later this year, the BBC's intention is to reach an increasingly connected audience, on whichever device they choose, in what will be an epic year for sport."
• UK incumbent telco, BT, has signed a VOD licensing agreement with Miramax that will bring the latter's films to its its Microsoft Mediaroom-powered hybrid DTT/IPTV service, BT Vision (note: the latter is set to roll out more social-TV functionality, personalized programming recommendations, and more VOD content--see the article published on itvt.com, January 17th). "The agreement gives BT Vision Unlimited subscribers instant access to a range of films from the Miramax collection, which has received 284 Academy Award nominations and won 68 Oscars," BT states in its press materials. "The films available will include: Academy Award Best Picture-winner 'Chicago'; 'Pulp Fiction,' the modern classic directed by Quentin Tarantino, as well as 'Kill Bill' 1 and 2; nine-Academy Award winner, 'The English Patient'; 'Good Will Hunting,' written by and starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck; 'The Talented Mr Ripley,' starring Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law; 'The Aviator,' directed by Martin Scorsese; and the first three instalments of the horror franchise, 'Scream.' BT Vision subscribers will be able to access the Miramax films in a unique Miramax-branded environment, in the BT Vision Film area...BT Vision customers will get Miramax movies included in the Unlimited option, which for £12.50 a month gives unlimited access to on-demand content with Vision Kids, Film Club, TV, Sport & Music as well as free ESPN and optional Sky Sports 1 and 2. The price includes BT’s Vision+ digital TV box, 70 Freeview channels and catch-up TV from the last seven days, including BBC iPlayer."
• Sony Pictures Entertainment's multiplatform video entertainment network, Crackle, launched Tuesday on the Xbox Live platform as a voice-controlled app. The app is available in the Xbox Live marketplace in the US, the UK, Canada and Australia. "By partnering with Xbox, and through the magic of Kinect for Xbox 360, Crackle offers consumers yet another way to enjoy free, ad-supported, full-length Hollywood movies and TV series," the company states in its press materials. "Adding the Kinect experience to Crackle's content allows consumers to interact with their favorite Crackle movies and TV shows in a more personal, seamless and effortless way. The voice- and motion-activated controls with Kinect and voice search with Bing on Xbox allow Crackle viewers to quickly find the content they want. For example, users are able to search for a movie on Xbox Live by stating, 'Xbox, Bing: The International,' or use verbal commands to play a movie on Xbox Live by stating, 'Play Donnie Brasco,' in this breakthrough new way to find and watch their favorite movies. All Crackle content, which includes more than 200 films from studios including Columbia Pictures, TriStar Pictures, Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Classics and more, is now available to watch for free with an Xbox Live Gold membership. In addition, the Crackle service offers over 1,500 full-length television episodes in genres its audience loves best: action, comedy, crime, horror, thriller and sci-fi." In related news: Larry Hryb, director of programming for the Xbox Live platform, tweeted Tuesday that Best Buy-owned broadband VOD service, CinemaNow, has launched on the platform in the US.