Communication Technology Update, 9th Edition

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Interactive Television

Paul J. Traudt, Ph.D.^*

Interactive television (ITV) was seen in the 1970s as the future be-all and end-all video and information technology for everything from electronic civic forums to consumer marketing. By the mid-1990s, different software and hardware platforms were married to more traditional television technologies and programming, often with Web-based functions. More recent developments under the ITV umbrella have included the emergence of prominent hardware and interactive applications, such as video on demand (VOD), interactive program guides (IPGs), and digital video recorders (DVRs), while interactive gaming, Internet tools, and commerce applications continue to show less promise.

Finding profitable economic ...