Programmers bet viewers want to interact with TV

Article Abstract:

Call Interactive, a joint venture of American Express Co and AT and T, is among telephone services that allow television viewers to phone in their opinions about the best football play in the last 20 years or even what television shows should air in the future. The service, an extension of dial-a-message services, uses AT and T's expanded 900-number service and 200 voice activated computers in the American Express service center to let callers register their opinions or receive a recorded message. Cost of calls range, beginning with a minimum of 75 cents. Technology is constantly improving to handle more volume. Previously, callers could only listen to recorded messages or register a vote by calling one of two numbers. Now, callers are led through their choices until they get the information they want. Current hardware can process 10,000 calls in 90 seconds.

Services, not elsewhere classified, Political activity, Joint ventures, T, American Express Co., AXP, Television viewers, American Telephone and Telegraph Co., Telephone systems, Telephone System, Joint Venture, Audiotex, Audiotext services, Call Interactive

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NBC will mix tech and talk with live poll

Article Abstract:

The National Broadcasting Corp (NBC), together with Quick Tally Systems, plans a demonstration of live polling for a television special on racial attitudes. Studio audiences in four locations will answer questions, keying answers into microprocessor-driven hand-held devices. Results will be tallied and displayed, categorized by sex, age and political affiliation. Quick Tally has also devised polling equipment for KCBS and MTV, but the NBC program will be the first time the equipment will gather data from more than one location. Although Quick Tally is losing money from development costs, the company is now marketing the system to advertising agencies, market research firms and television networks. The success of NBC's racial attitude program signifies increased interest in interactive television.

Television broadcasting stations, Electronic Components and Accessories, Television broadcasting, Public opinion polls, Portrayals, National Broadcasting Company Inc., Tests, Interactive computer systems, Interactive media, Interactive television, Interactive Video, Testing, Opinion Poll, Quick Tally Systems

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In making CD-ROMs, technology proves easy compared with rights negotiations

Article Abstract:

Copyright negotiations are a source of problems for compact disc-read only memory (CD-ROM) producers. CD-ROM technology, which stores video, audio and text for playback on computer screens, is used for sales presentations, reference works, and especially for entertainment. Producers are encountering difficulties because creators are protective of their electronic rights. Rights holders sometimes have unreasonably high expectations about royalties. Some CD-ROM titles sell as many as 100,000 copies, but 5,000 copies is a more realistic number, so that segments cannot cost more than a few cents per disk. Compton's NewMedia Inc had particular difficulty with its history of the Grammy awards, which was delayed by more than eight months while the company negotiated for rights to photographs and music.

Laws, regulations and rules, Copyright, Copyrights, Patents, Royalties (Intellectual property), CD-ROM, CD-ROM disks, Patent/Copyright Issue, Rights

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