One limitation of DTH as a digital medium is that, unlike IPTV or the Internet, there is no return path and both the content and advertising is largely in a broadcast (one-to-many) format, apart from the TV shows that integrate mobile SMS. Lukup, a company founded by Kallol Borah, is attempting to bring some amount of interactivity to the medium. However, there are challenges, beyond technology - of changing TV channel, media buyer and advertiser mindsets. MediaNama spoke with Borah on how they're delivering interactive advertising on DTH: MediaNama: How does your platform for delivery of Interactive Content on TV work? Kallol Borah: The best possible example of an interactive service is the Active Service from Tata Sky, but you see it on a different channel, which has an Active Mall or Active Games. We are trying to put interactive content on the TV channel as well, so you see it as an interactive overlay on a regular TV channel. If you look at Indian DTH operators - Reliance, Dish TV, Airtel - all of them have a different platform. We have created a system for interactive content that can run on multiple DTH Digital Cable platforms that is connected to the broadcast systems of the DTH operator, which when broadcasted, can result in the display of interactive content as an overlay content on the TV channel. MediaNama: But how do you make it interactive, because DTH has no return path. Kallol Borah: It is limited to people using their remotes to…
