In Italy, not only have almost 1 million
3G mobile video phones made their way to the audience, Telecom Italia has also heavily promoted its fixed-line video phones, of which 1.9 million so far have been sold (410,000 of those with a
wi-fi connection). Add those with broadband connections and webcams, and you have a huge audience able to make video calls.
On Telecom Italia's broadband portal,
Rosso Alice, the community channel making use of this gained a quick following. The channel includes a 24-hour video chat community, with local heroes broadcasting their own shows, but also offers eight hours of live television per day. In the programs, those with a video phone or webcam can interact with the TV hosts, sing songs, tell jokes, provide cinema reviews, etc. The caller's video image is visible on screen, next to or behind the hosts, who sit in a Flash-produced digital studio.
The "Mycast" system, developed by Digital Magics from Milan, includes both a technical service which combines all the streams, as well as a pre-moderation room and a way to video record callers' consent to the terms of agreement, and a slight delay to block any unwelcome calls.
As Digital Magics president
Gabriele Gresta told me at a "
ParticipationTV" workshop I organized in Prague last week, the system is now making it to mainstream TV as well. From April 27 onward, public broadcaster RAI Uno's morning show, Mattina, is using it to invite the audience to call in and respond to the day's issues and studio guests.
How long before news media will call in the help of video-phone users as well?
