- QVC Executive appointed to manage ETV’s Argos TV team
- Gala TV Director of Programmes appointed Broadcast Controller at Argos

Leading digital media company, ETV Media Group will today launch the UK’s largest general merchandise retail TV channel, Argos TV. The channel is the first of its kind in the UK to make available over 30,000 products from leading brands across all product categories.

Argos TV will broadcast 24 hours a day, seven days a week on Sky channel 642, and also be streamed live at argos.co.uk/tv.

Viewers of Argos TV will instantly be able to purchase their product via the web or through a dedicated contact centre, and be able to collect their purchase from their nearest Argos store on the same day via ‘Check and Reserve’, a service unrivalled by any other UK shopping channel.

The channel will capitalise on the retailer’s extensive brand connections built up over Argos’s 35 year history, and will be the first and only teleshopping channel to bring TV viewers fashionable branded products such as the iPad 2.

ETV’s 40-strong production team will produce four hours of live programming every weekday to be broadcast between 7pm and 11pm, and eight hours of live programming every weekend broadcast between 3pm and 11pm. The remainder of the programming schedule will be populated with a pre-recorded and meta-tagged library of bite-sized product demos and pre-record hour-long programmes.

ETV’s Argos TV team has already produced over 100 hours of content showcasing 750 Argos products, all of which has been meta-tagged, enabling Argos planners to build a broadcast schedule in response to customer buying trends.

The channel is produced and broadcast from Kentish Town Studios. The studio has been divided up into five distinct selling areas: kitchen, living room, day room, display room and patio. This studio design enables all the Argos products to be demonstrated in their intended environment and allows for the pace of the shows to flow around one studio.

ETV has appointed Elliot Moscow as Director of Programmes for Argos TV. Elliot brings 13 years of home shopping TV experience, joining from QVC where he played an integral role in launching the business’s tapeless play-out facility, and was at the forefront of building QVC’s sales strategy.

Mark Murphy, Managing Director, ETV Media Group, said: “Argos has something truly unique to bring the UK TV home shopping market, retail heritage and brand credibility unparalleled by any other teleshopping channel on the Sky platform. The launch of Argos TV is a game changer in the UK retail world, as more businesses look to become content owners. Elliot’s considerable retail TV expertise and understanding of the drivers behind the home shopping market make him the ideal candidate to lead ETV’s Argos TV team.”

Adrian Burleton, Business Development Director, Argos added: “As the leader in multi-channel shopping, Argos will use television to add a further dimension to the way in which customers can shop for its products from home. With the TV home shopping market valued at £750 million and growing, it’s a great opportunity for us.”

Enteraction, the social gaming subsidiary of ETV Media Group, has today announced the appointment of leading digital media industry figure Peter Cowley – founder and CEO of Spirit Digital Media and former Global Head of Original Digital Media at Endemol – as Non-Executive Director. In his role, Cowley will work closely with Enteraction MD Andy Rogers on the development of the business, which is already growing its work rapidly in Europe and the US, and boost further international prospects.

Before founding Spirit Digital Media, which is backed by Content Media Corp, Cowley accumulated a wealth of digital media, broadcast, technology and brand-related experience in his roles at Endemol, Freeserve/Wanadoo (now Orange), Videotron/Cable & Wireless (now Virgin Media) and BBH.

Andy Rogers, Managing Director, Enteraction, said: “It is a great coup for us that Peter is joining the board at Enteraction. He is a well-respected new media evangelist and the perfect fit for the company; he has real insight into what works and what doesn’t in the emerging social gaming market. Peter is also one of the nicest guys in the business. There are big plans for the company moving ahead, and it’s great to have him on board for the journey.”

Peter Cowley, Non-Executive Director, Enteraction, added: “I’m thrilled to be joining the talented team at Enteraction, a company that is at the forefront of creating compelling social gaming content for both broadcasters and brands around the world. I’m very much looking forward to being a part of the business’ continued growth into the international sector, and working with Andy to develop even greater work.”

- GameShaper technology enables purchase of TV content with Facebook Credits -

ETV Media Group has become the first digital media company in the world to allow Facebook users globally to purchase premium video content with Facebook Credits. To co-inside with the global media frenzy surrounding the Royal Wedding, Facebook users will be able to purchase ‘Diana: A Tribute To The Peoples Princess’ from 21st April 2011.

The purchasing and Facebook broadcast system uses the unique social gaming framework, GameShaper, developed by ETV’s wholly owned social gaming subsidiary, enteraction. The content will cost Facebook members $3.50 (seven Facebook credits) and will tap into the huge international community following the Royal Wedding as it unfolds on Facebook and other social networks.

The GameShaper framework includes all the Facebook Credit integration as well as data provision, social graph integration, business information and publishing associated with delivering this content across Facebook. It also inherently deals with the issues of scaling and distribution to a global audience. Utilising GameShaper for their social broadcast system has enabled ETV to take advantage of enteraction’s experience in developing gamified social applications and bring this product to market in record time.

‘Diana: A Tribute To The Peoples Princess’ is an 120-minute film which tells the story of the final year of Diana’s life, the break up and divorce from Prince Charles and the constant harassment by the press. The content can be purchased at http://apps.facebook.com/DianaTheMovie.

Mark Cullen, CEO, ETV Media Group, said: “Watching online video is becoming an everyday activity for people all over the world. We’ve taken the integration of Fracebook Credits to the next level by enabling the purchase of premium content as well as linking it to a global event such as the Royal Wedding. We’re thrilled to be the first to take this product to market with Facebook.”