Belgacom integrates interactive features into its promotional channel ZOOM
Belgacom has upgraded its 24/7 promotional channel, ZOOM, by merging four previous channels into one. The new channel, built using wTVision's ChannelMaker, features automatic playlist imports, graphic secondary event assignment, and full integration with Belgacom's interactive Set-Top Box platform. This enables direct rental access for users from trailers via the red button.
Key Takeaways
- Belgacom merged four existing channels (Premiere, Family, Adrenaline, Zoom) into a new 24/7 promotional channel, ZOOM.
- The new ZOOM channel uses wTVision's ChannelMaker for automation, a technology previously used across the merged channels.
- ChannelMaker facilitates automatic playlist imports and assigns graphic secondary events to playlist items, crucial for interactive elements.
- The channel is fully integrated with Belgacom's interactive Set-Top Box platform, enabling users to rent content directly from trailers.
- The system was designed with full redundancy for operational reliability.
Why It Matters
This move by Belgacom represents a streamlining of its promotional content delivery, aiming to enhance user engagement through direct interactive pathways. By consolidating channels and integrating interactive rental capabilities directly within promotional content, Belgacom is looking to reduce friction in the content discovery and monetization funnel. Other service providers should evaluate their own promotional strategies and consider how similar integrations could drive conversion or improve subscriber stickiness. The key will be to observe how this direct interaction impacts Belgacom's rental revenue and viewer engagement metrics over the next quarters.
Additional Context
Belgacom, now known as Proximus, has a history of early adoption in interactive television services. In October 2007, Advanced Television reported Belgacom extended its IPTV contract with Nokia Siemens Networks, indicating an ongoing commitment to developing its interactive TV offerings, including plans for HD services. Belgacom TV, launched in mid-2005, was Belgium's first digital TV offering, distributing content via xDSL, as detailed by Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias. By December 2007, Belgacom TV had reached 300,000 subscribers, demonstrating an existing user base for interactive enhancements. wTVision's ChannelMaker has been a recurring component in broadcast automation workflows; SVG Europe reported in April 2013 on wTVision's collaboration with Unitecnic to customize ChannelMaker for DirecTV Latin America, showcasing its adaptability for complex, multi-channel environments. This background suggests that the recent ChannelMaker integration for ZOOM aligns with Proximus's long-standing strategy of leveraging technology for advanced and interactive television experiences.
Read full article at wtvision.com
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