As the World Turns , The Tonight Show With Jay Leno , Hang Time , The Drew Carey Show , This Old House , Zoom , and Jack and Jill . The production companies involved provided content to use in a five-week market trial. In the trial, high school students were hired to create links to characters and objects within the shows. Involving these young people was meant to ensure that the system would be easy to master. Currently, the tool is being enhanced using the input of people in the post-production industry, so that the WatchPoint user interface will be intuitive to the individuals who would be using the technology.
Ease of use is important, since added production times mean escalated costs.
MTV Preparations are underway for a hard trial in five major cities across North America. Current data from focus groups indicate an 85 percent acceptance rate overall from consumers of all ages. That visual cue is very important, according to Annie Valva , director of technology at WGBH Interactive in Boston, the interactive unit of the well-known public television station. We feel they are trying to stay in touch with consumers in what they are doing, keeping television full screen, and trying to integrate content into the program when possible and provide choice for users. But WatchPoint isn't the only company experimenting with the latest in product placement and interactive television.