Orange Playlist to encourage viewers to interact with the show with their cameraphones

A new weekly music television show that will showcase charts for mobile phone ringtones and music downloads is to be aired on ITV1 in a sign of the growing influence of both the mobile phone and the internet on music sales, reports the FT.

"Orange, France Telecom's mobile arm, and Endemol, the TV company behind Big Brother, have teamed together to launch Orange Playlist, which will begin showing on British TV screens in September. cf Orange invests in television programming with Endemol

The emergence of new ringtone and music download charts confirms the rising importance of these media, which are growing rapidly at the expense of CD sales.

In addition, Orange, which is part funding the new weekly music show, is hoping to use the programme to encourage viewers to interact with the show using their mobile phones by sending picture and text messages. Selected picture messages will be aired on each night's show.

The move is designed to stimulate use of picture messaging.

While the majority of mobile phones now sold feature integrated cameras, operators privately concede that the number of pictures being sent over their networks is disappointing.

Many users have been put off from sending picture messages because of high costs, difficulties in using camera phones or because some picture messages do not reach their chosen destination.

emily | 11:02 AM | MMS on Television |
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