Wink Communications, developer of an interactive data-enhanced programming service, said it has reached a multi-year agreement with Sony Electronics to have Wink Enhanced Broadcasting technology put in next-generation Sony DirecTV receivers that will be available later this year.
Wink Enhanced Broadcasting allows program networks and advertisers to enhance TV with interactive overlays relating to the television broadcast. This appears as supplemental text and graphics on the screen. Viewers are notified when Wink content is being transmitted with an “I” icon that appears on the screen.
To display the content, the viewer presses a button on the satellite receiver’s remote control.
In addition to text overlays and online viewer polling, Wink viewers will have access to video purchase offers or product coupons.
Sony joins Thomson and Hughes Network Systems in announcing a DirecTV receiver with Wink capability.
For company links see…
Sony Electronics
Wink Communications
DirecTv
For previous TWICE Online coverage of this topic see…
Interactive TV Awareness Up, 20-Sep-1999
