Oceanic unveils new
interactive digital plan

One feature will allow viewers
to pick among several camera angles

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By David Briscoe
Associated Press

Thousands of Hawaii cable TV subscribers are going to find new powers in their remote-control units.

In the first such services offered in the United States, Oceanic Time Warner Cable announced yesterday new digital services that will allow viewers to choose camera angles on University of Hawaii football games, vote instantly in public opinion polls and book a travel package on the TV screen.

Hawaii's isolation from the rest of the country and the relative saturation of cable subscribers make it an ideal place to try out new services, industry officials say. Oceanic subscribers already can pay their cable bills and order pizza on special channels.

"This is just the beginning," said company President Nate Smith, unveiling the new services at a luncheon meeting for advertisers, who were told they would be able to target specific neighborhoods with localized messages and hear back directly from individuals.

Some of the new digital services already are available to the more than 100,000 Oceanic subscribers who have digital boxes installed in their homes or offices. Eventually, all 375,000 cable subscribers in the islands will have the boxes.

"Our new services are exclusive to Hawaii because of Oceanic Time Warner Cable's progressive commitment to revolutionize digital technology," Smith said.

The cable company, which serves Oahu, the Big Island, Maui, Molokai, Lanai and, most recently, Kauai. The company says cable is available to 90-95 percent of Hawaii homes.

Partners in the new services include Navic Networks, a Boston-based company that does audience polling. The interactive polling set up by Navic provides tabulation and a report back to the audience within minutes. Viewer use their regular digital cable remotes to respond.

Another company, NDS, provides interactive television applications for broadcasters worldwide. While Oceanic's services are new to the United States, similar services have been offered to more than 8 million viewers worldwide.

NDS has developed SportsView, which will allow viewers of Hawaii football games on digital cable to pick among six different camera angles and call up statistics while viewing the game. UH games are presented on a pay-per-view basis for the first time this year, but there will be no extra charge for the digital service.