NDS Group a News Corporation company has announced the launch of MTV Hits Interactive. It claims to be the UK’s first 24x7 interactive music TV service powered by NDS Value@TV technology. NDS claims to be the leading provider of interactive TV applications and technology .

Launched on Sky digital, MTV Hits Interactive is the first program to allow viewers to customise their viewing by sticking virtual logos and images to their TV screen. Themed stickers can be used for events such as Valentine’s Day or the MTV Europe Music Awards. Viewers can also play daily interactive quizzes, winning merchandise and electronic goods, and receive the latest gossip from global music artists.

NDS provided interactive voting technology for the 2001 MTV Europe Music Awards. Viewers were able to choose, with their remote control, award nominees across twelve categories. An official release states that over 700,000 votes were cast in the 3 days leading up to the awards. The audience could also access the latest news on the awards and enter competitions.

Director interactive TV, NDS Group Paul Thompson said, “MTV Hits Interactive builds on the success of the MTV Europe Music Awards applications, which proved that interactivity is popular with MTV viewers and also generates revenue and ratings for the channel. As MTV’s interactive TV partner we have been able to blend MTV’s creativity with NDS’s interactive TV technology to deliver an enjoyable viewing experience that drives MTV’s business forward”.

MD MTVi UK Chris Sice said, “MTV has a reputation for pushing the creative boundaries of interactive technology; this new interactive service firmly establishes MTV and NDS at the forefront of the current iTV drive.”

The NDS Group claims to be a leading supplier of open conditional access software and interactive systems for the secure delivery of entertainment and information to television set-top boxes, and personal computers. The company also develops secure datacasting solutions for the distribution of data and multimedia. MTV Networks UK & Ireland claims to be the UK & Ireland’s largest 24-hour music television network, reaching almost ten million homes via digital terrestrial, cable and satellite. MTV Networks. MTV launched in the UK in August 1987, with the dedicated UK & Ireland feed launching ten years later. The adult-oriented music channel VH1 launched in the UK in 1994.

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