Interactive television

Interactive television combines television content with a return channel that lets viewers respond or influence what is shown. It ranges from simple polls and on-demand choices to branching narratives and interactive services.

Return channel: A communication path that carries data from a receiving device back to a service provider. It carries viewer choices and responses from the television to the service.
Audience response: The collection of reactions or choices from an audience during or after a presentation. Television polls and voting let programs gather audience responses in real time.
QUBE: A two-way cable television system launched in Columbus, Ohio, in 1977. Its interactive channels and viewer polling made it an early large-scale experiment.
Broadcast television: Television distributed from broadcasters to audiences over terrestrial, satellite, or cable networks. Traditional broadcasting sends content one way, unlike services with a viewer return channel.
Set-top box: A device that receives and processes television signals for display on a television. It can run interactive software and send viewer input through a network connection.
Interactive advertising: Advertising that invites an audience to respond, select options, or request further information. A television viewer can use an ad's prompt to seek details or make a purchase.
Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment: A cable television company formed by Warner Communications and American Express. It developed QUBE and tested interactive cable services.
Addressable television: A television delivery system that can show different content to different households or devices. It personalizes delivery without necessarily letting viewers influence the program.
Electronic program guide: An on-screen schedule that lists television programs and related information. Selecting programs through a guide is a common, simple form of television interaction.
T-commerce: Commerce conducted through television services, including purchases initiated from a television interface. It applies television interaction directly to product selection and transactions.

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