ITVi to launch in August

Nope, it says that the Pop Idol service "can be accessed via ITVi when the show isn't on" or words to that effect. They had ITV Text + a while ago... did that require a seperate license? I suppose that ITVi will be News Channel integrated?

AFAIK iTV is the general name for all interactive TV and if ITV named their interactive services iTV it would cause much confusion.

"Two Way TV developed and built the application for ITV from designs by Attic Media. In-between shows, the service will be accessible via ITVi, a new 24-hour interactive service."

As Nick said, no. It would be very likely that the Carlton name would disappear and that the company would be called Granada, as Granada would own the majority of this new company. But when I imagined that when they would merge it would be called Granarlton, and a few years before I thought that would be name of On Digital. (Which was originally British Digital Broadcasting, but that name was scrapped a couple of months before the launch of DTT in the UK.)

Though ITVi, how original! Though I have read the article on DS and the service does sound very good, probably nothing against BBCi or C4 Active or something good like that. It seems how much consideration they have given for cable viewers!

But I heard that Carlton Interactive and Granada Interactive were going to merge to become ITV Interactive anyway.

I think ITV Text + on DTT was the equivalent to the ITV (rather than Teletext UK) local pages on ITV1 analogue teletext - i.e. the few pages that the local franchise holder had control over rather than the Teletext franchise holder (Teletext UK)

As I understand it you do not need a specific licence for a data service at all.

What Teletext Limited have is the "Public Teletext Licence" which entitles them to use the majority of the teletext space on Channel 3 and Channel 4, and to multiplex space on the D3&4 mux on DTT. They could just as easily set up elsewhere (as they have on Channel 5), and they would not need a licence. (Actually Five is a bad example since there is a also teletext licence for that channel).

Well done, rdd, a SUPERB post.

You've completely disproved your own post and completely proved my original point.

YOU NEED A LICENCE from the ITC at present, OFCOM from December 29th.

You can't just set up a system when you fancy the idea.

Teletext had to APPLY for the vacant Channel 5 licence when it was handed in by Sky, who used to have it, but decided they didn't want it any more.

There aren't any other licences currently up for grabs, so I doubt anybody will be applying for them in the near future.

If somebody has an idea for a NEW licence, they'll have to pressure the ITC or OFCOM to set it up and then advertise it.

I think this ITVi will be similar to the Big Brother thing on 4active - it will carry news, voting etc. related to the show, but be available 24/7 during the run of the show. AIUI the service will shut when PI finishes (possibly replaced by this new digitext thing Teletext Ltd are doing) and it therefore comes under the 'programme-related' remit.

This should clear things up. From a job advert for a PR officer for ITVi:

"ITV Interactive was formed in May 2003 to drive ITV’s interactive TV strategy and build its interactive business across ITV’s family of channels.

ITV's interactive services for viewers are available in over 6 million digital satellite homes offering around 18 million viewers enhanced programming across a range of shows from entertainment to sport to daytime programmes. In the first deal of its kind ITV has also secured an exclusive tie-up with Littlewoods to provide a range of betting and gaming services that will be available to viewers from Autumn 2003.

From this autumn ITV will be able to offer advertisers a chance to use interactive ads on its family of channels for the first time. ITV is developing a range of simple and cost effective interactive solutions designed to simplify the interactive advertising process and minimise costs previously associated with it. ITV’s entry into this market is hugely significant for the interactive industry as it will bring a mass audience to this new medium for the first time."

I'm sure they've had interactive adverts before...

It's a great pity that they seem to be ignoring Freeview (and cable too)... they're obviously still a little bitter from ITV Digital. A little daft that they aren't putting ITVi on Freeview though, after all, they have all the MHEG generating equipment don't they? They've had interactive stuff before and there was that "This box is now yours" MHEG recently...