I recently met a former contestant on the German Millionaire who
lamented the fact that he could not defer his appearance until the
introduction of the euro. It would seem that one of the euro's hidden
costs is a doubling of the show's purse. Apparently, the German
producers thought that the title Who Wants to Win 560,000 euros? did not
have the same ring.
This occurred to me on Saturday night as I cleared what would otherwise,
of course, be a packed social diary to watch the much-anticipated launch
of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? interactive on ITV2. I wondered how
important the lure of lucre was in the game's attraction.
The Millionaire franchise has spread not just internationally but also
to the internet and mobile phones, so interactive TV was an inevitable
step. It airs at the same time as on ITV1 and operates through a very
simple on-screen overlay which charts your progress. You find yourself
playing along with the on-air contestant having until the contestant
answers to select your own response. The game-play is very
straightforward and should not present any problems for even the most
technophobe Millionaire fan.
Correct answers win the same amount in points as the on-air question is
worth in cash. A high enough total earns you entry to a BT-sponsored
prize draw. I didn't test this, as my points tally wouldn't even pay for
one of Chris Tarrant's suits.
ITV claims that the format is strong enough to hold our attention
without big prizes. Aside from cash, the experience also lacks another
of the key ingredients, the life-lines: 50:50; phone a friend; and ask
the audience.
I watched the show with a group of friends and have to say that it did
add something to the experience and engaged us all, despite my
performance.
The interaction is intuitive and does not break the flow of the
show.
ITV will be looking for a boost to its flagging revenues and to increase
viewing figures for ITV2. Switching channels during the ad break would
mean losing all your points, so advertisers will not object. We will
see, though, whether this means that we watch more ads or just don't
bother with the interactive service.
Millionaire interactive does not constitute a breakthrough. The service
is limited to ITV Digital and cable viewers with digital sets, so it
does not represent mass audience interactivity. Unlike that other
successful franchise, Big Brother, Millionaire brings no innovations in
digital functionality.
Simple, quiz-based interactivity has been around for years. This does
not mean that it will not be a success.
Indeed, its simplicity is probably its greatest strength. The real
question, however, is why has it taken so long?
Channel: ITV2
Frequency: Twice weekly (Tuesday and Saturday evenings)
Advertisers: include BT (sponsor of interactive show on ITV2), Panadol,
Daz, EA Sports, Co-op
