READING PASSAGE 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-12 which are based on Reading
Passage 1.
A Since its earliest days, television (TV) has been the perfect example of passive
entertainment. Now some are trying to change that. Media and entertainment
companies plan new interactive services designed to make television a centre of
games, information and family activity. Many of these services are enhancements of
regular programming like displaying several football games at once. Some will be
new ways of doing old things, like video on demand (VOD), which allows viewers
to choose which movie they will watch. Perhaps one of the most intriguing is
personal video recording, which lets them pause and fast-forward TV programs.
B This is not the first time that the television industry has attempted to persuade
viewers to become more active. In the 1970s, a project to provide movies to order
was shelved because of the high cost of bringing two-way networks into peoples
homes. In 1990 some providers offered text enhancement, giving viewers the option
of seeing news, weather and stock prices run across their screen on top of regular
programs. This project was also dropped. But circumstances may be more favourable
today. The television industry has some advantages which did not exist when
previous experiments were undertaken. First, cable and satellite television now reach
a large number of homes. Second, the Internet has made most people in the
developed world familiar with the process of pointing and clicking. In a sense,
interactive television is a way of bringing television a little closer to the Internet.
C The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC a public television channel) has
probably been the most experimental network in this field. Its first really successful
attempt was made during the Wimbledon tennis tournament in June 2001. Rather
than deciding which tennis match to televise at any one time, the BBC allowed
viewers to watch up to five at once on a split screen. This attracted more than five
million viewers. Since then, the BBC has produced a steady stream of new
interactive programming.
D Were taking factual drama and creating a quiz show around the main
programming, says Ashley Highfield, Thats totally new and exciting for us. I
would love to get involved in interactive dramas, maybe allowing the viewer to
switch from one characters point of view (to that of another). But sport continues to
be the BBCs biggest drawcard. What were working on for the future is to have
football matches with the option of hearing the partisan commentary from local radio
stations, says Highfield. Commercial television companies, which have to keep an
eye on profit, have been less daring. However, according to Josh Bernoff, an analyst
at Forrester Research, a lack of copyright may delay growth over the next five years.
That is why the first companies to offer VOD have been cable channels that own
their own content.
E The biggest barrier to VOD and other interactive services is technophobia fear of
technology. In test markets, viewers often dont know they have the service, or are
reluctant to use it. One solution is to give the TV screen the look of a Web page, with
toolbars and display menus. Since younger consumers tend to be early adopters of
new technology, videogames may take off quickly. In recent months, the three
biggest manufacturers of TV games have introduced online components. In two
years, experts say, most gamers may go online via TV.
F Televisions best minds are convinced that interactive TV will eventually succeed.
But if this happens, what will be the effect on the status quo? Will greater viewer
control overthrow the whole business model of TV, which is based on selling
advertising to a largely captive audience. Network executives face a dilemma. The
more control they give viewers, the more they threaten the practice of selling primetime
advertising.
G Rick Mandler, a Disney vice-president of enhanced TV feels that interactive TV
companies will press for a redesign of personal recording services so that they are
advertising friendly. Tracey Swedlow, editor of the newsletter Interactive TV
Today, believes that advertising is going to have to adapt. How much will the rest
of us have to adapt? Its going to be a gradual process, not a revolution, says
Maggie Wilderotter, an interactive TV executive in California. People watch TV to
be entertained. Its not work. She feels that viewers do not want to do too much
themselves. Swedlow, on the other hand, thinks the changes will be more
fundamental. TV will feel more like a tool you can use. .. Itll be something you
can manage rather than just take in.
adapted with permission from Gutrel, Fred, 'The Future of TV', Newsweek 'Issues 2003' Special Edition, Dec 2002 - Feb
2003.
Questions 1 5
Look at the following opinions (Questions 1 5) and the list of people below.
Match each opinion with the person credited with it.
Write the correct letter A E in boxes 1 5 on your answer sheet.
1 TV viewers may be unwilling to exert themselves
2 TV companies will urge the adaptation of programming to suit advertisers.
3 Legal complications may slow TV innovation.
4 Advertisers, rather than viewers or broadcasters, will need to change.
5 New elements may be added to existing program types.
A Ashley Highfield
B Josh Bernoff
C Rick Mandler
D Maggie Wildrotter
E Tracey Swedlow