Television interactivity, possibilities of participation

There is more and more talk about digital television. along with the issue of high definition and perhaps more than it, interactivity is one of the most significant added values that Digital Television (DTV) brings.  But what do we mean by interactivity?

Érika Jaillier C.

Although the term interactivity in itself is polysemic, the various authors agree that television interactivity seeks to generate a "gradual and variable capacity by which users are given greater power both in the selection of content (selective interactivity) and in the possibilities of expression and communication (communicative interactivity)" (Rost, 2004). This power rests on the fact of having a return channel1 for the user in such a way that it allows him to influence the offer of both content and communicative events proposed by the DTV operator.

If a review is made of the offer of private digital television operators in Colombia, even they themselves seem to be aware of what it means to add the nickname "interactive" to the television proposal they market; in such a way that most of them have preferred to provide a service that, for now, privileges the added value in the technical part, this is the High Definition, and have postponed interactivity as such because of the commitments it represents.

What would be the characteristics of television and social participation that identify our social context, so that interactivity is effectively integrated into its dynamics? Below are some perspectives for understanding these concerns.

Forms of traditional television interactivity
The forms of interactivity used in analogue television in Colombia correspond to a basic level2: in fact, the telephone has been the technology with which users have acquired forms of participation within the television offer, becoming a first return channel.

Figure 1. Forms of interaction with television. Source: Large Integrated Household Survey 2008

Through these actions1, which have fixed telephony as their return channel, it has been possible to achieve high levels of interactivity but not necessarily massive; as has happened with the use of other return channels such as the internet and mobile telephony. The increasing penetration and use of the internet has been gaining space as a simultaneous technology for interactivity.

The strength that has been given to the technical component – High Definition -, and the increase in channels by television operators, has generated either a certain reductionism in the conception of citizens regarding what DTV represents, or a wide ignorance about this technology. Only 29.9% of the population of Medellín knows anything about DTV (EGM II- 2011), and within it there is a medium perception of what interactivity is; instead there is a predominance of interests over the technical aspects and variety in the offer. The same publicity about DTV denotes this.

In addition, there is little interest in investing money in additional ITV services, an aspect of emphasis on the part of the CNTV. According to Table 1, the service of interactivity, as part of the DTV, is considered "Very important" by citizens; of course, after the aspects already mentioned.

Table 1. Perception of DTV and interactivity

• Benefit of Digital Television	Highest rating	Character
  Improvement in image and sound	64,4%	Very important
  Greater offer of channels	55,7%	Very important
  Importance of thematic channels	52,7%	Very important
  Interactivity	47,6%	Very important
  Mobility and portability	43,5%	Very important
  Importance of PPV channels	23,2%	Something important
  Importance of renting and/or purchasing programs	26,91%	Nothing important

• Benefit of Digital Television	Highest rating	Character
  Improvement in image and sound	64,4%	Very important
  Greater offer of channels	55,7%	Very important
  Importance of thematic channels	52,7%	Very important
  Interactivity	47,6%	Very important
  Mobility and portability	43,5%	Very important
  Importance of PPV channels	23,2%	Something important
  Importance of renting and/or purchasing programs	26,91%	Nothing important

Source: EGM 2011

The presence of subscription television operators in the city is the majority.

Table 2. Current offer of interactive tools in Medellín

Source: consultation of services of the respective operators

According to this table, most of the interactive services offered by operators reach a Level of interactivity between 1 and 2; that is, users either have some control of the contents or intervene moderately in the proposed options. Only a few companies have a service with which you can reach a Level 3 of interactivity, and, in these cases, through the consultation of email, with the restriction of doing so only through the account of the same company. It can then be said that our context is entering the dynamics of ITV, starting with IPTV, but with levels of interactivity still low.

Interactivity in IDTV
What can be done in terms of interactivity with IDTV?
The development of interactivity in countries that have been making the leap towards digital is quite variable. While in the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom and the countries that follow the British television organization model, important levels of interactivity have been reached (Pindado, 2009), in Spain television interactivity remains a promise that has not yet been achieved.

Latin American countries, which follow the model of television organization based on government control, and especially those that have adopted the DVB television standard (both characteristics are owned by Spain), have in the Iberian nation an example of the difficulties that the transition to digitalization brings. Faced with this, the significant experiences of the first countries indicate how a participatory design of interactive tools, in which the usual end users of the television product become part of the entire value chain and can evaluate it (Janssen, 2009), can yield better results based on their needs and expectations.

Thinking about interactive television from interactive content, from entertainment strategies and playful learning mediated by the direct intervention of the viewer are usually more effective in improving participation alternatives. Likewise, "seeing" on television is usually attractive, so the spaces where "ordinary" people actively participate and give an example of the possibilities of "being" on TV, motivates to watch television and want to be there.

Edutainment and t-learning are two of the new genres that can give results of permanent intervention of the public in the television options. But for this, multidisciplinary teams are required to generate interactive content that understands the needs and expectations of future audiences. Colombia has been gaining ground in the organization of sporting, recreational or cultural events, which could become a "niche" to be used by public and private OPERATORS of ITV: The challenge in this regard is to "activate" these passive spectators through interactive tools, so that other aspects of social capital such as civics are strengthened, as there is low interest in public affairs and participation in political activities (ECC 2008).

On the other hand, there is wide participation in social networks. This, added to the marked sense of trust in the other that manifests itself in them (EPCM-20009-2011), can help overcome two of the inconveniences that citizens manifest for not formally participating in the current alternatives that television gives: the lack of time and the lack of information (EPC-2009-2011). The IDTV, thanks to the convergence of technologies and permanent availability in connection with the networks, would extend hours for participation, accompanied by a significant amount of information.

The model of living labs for the construction of content could be an alternative in the need for creativity for IDTV. "The living labs model is a methodological platform for experimentation and co-creation, with the participation of users and / or real citizens, in real environments for Scientific and Technological Research, more Development, more Innovation (R + D + i) used in the specification, prototyping, validation and improvement of complex solutions in real-life environments, where users together with researchers, companies and public institutions together look for new solutions, new products, new services or new business models" (Roldán, 2010).

Starting from the social bases, from the viewers, from their training for the intervention and their creativity, can generate results in the face of an interactivity increasingly possible from the television work. The challenge is to integrate IDTV from a "bottom-up" approach; so that it is perceived as a social product: it arises from the needs of the community and returns to them after the technological cycle, transformed, desideologized but with social uses and social, cultural and communicative practices that lead to exert a generalized and differentiated impact. Only then can we talk about social innovation through television.

*Érika Jaillier C. is dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the Pontifical Bolivarian University.

Author: Richard Santa, RAVT

Editor

Periodista de la Universidad de Antioquia (2010), con experiencia en temas sobre tecnología y economía. Editor de las revistas TVyVideo+Radio y AVI Latinoamérica. Coordinador académico de TecnoTelevisión&Radio.