'Hollyoaks' to pull viewers into storylines using SMS

This is wild - if I got it straight - in which case it would be a real first. A UK soap opera called Hollyoaks offers the series' fans the option to sign up on their Website to receive daily text messages from the show's characters, allowing the viewer to "be one step ahead with the latest on all the big storylines before they hit the screen". [Via Moco News and New Media Zero].

See other innovative ways television networks have used SMS and even picture messaging:

-- Soapy secrets via SMS - Soap Confidential, gives ABC soap fans sneak preview information from their favorite characters through premium text messaging service.

-- Voted sexiest soap actor by SMS - US network channel ABC employed text messaging to have fans vote for the sexiest male actor of soap opera 'All my Children'.

-- «InYrShoes» - The plot of a UK soap called «InYrShoes» is not decided by scriptwriters, but by viewers sending text messages at the end of each episode, featuring a cliffhanger or dilemma.

-- Jong-Zuid: First picture soap opera for mobile phones The Netherlands came up with the first Picture Soap, Jong-Zuid, starring famous soap opera actors.

-- American Idol sways Americans into texting -- Nearly 2.5 million AT&T Wireless customers cast their votes by SMS for their favorite American Idol contestant

emily | 2:53 PM | SMS and Television |
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