Wink Communications Inc. announced Monday that its interactive applications
will be part of various networks' upfront pitches this spring and summer.
Viewers in 4.5 million cable households enabled by Wink can currently
interact with certain enhanced programs or commercials.
Among the programmers incorporating Wink-enabled interactivity into their
upfront ad-sales packages for broadcast, Internet and/or cable assets, according
to Wink executive vice president of national accounts Melinda White, are
Discovery Networks U.S. (for Discovery Channel and The Learning Channel), The
Walt Disney Co. (for ABC and ESPN properties), Turner Broadcasting System Inc.
(for Cable News Network and CNN Headline News), NBC and The Weather Channel.
CNN, for example, will sell enhanced interactive spots and sponsorships on a
24/7 news ticker available within certain programs, White
said.
