On Command Adds USA Today Content To Interactive TV Platform

DENVER— This October, On Command will roll out its newly developed USA Today News Center- a free news service resulting from a recently inked partnership between On Command and USA Today— on its OCX Internet-enabled TV platform (I-TV). While On Command currently has interactive television platforms up and running in approximately 185,000 guestrooms, the new OCX I-TV platform will be deployed in all the companys future installations and will eventually replace existing equipment at all hotel locations on the companys client roster. To support and encourage the use of this new technology, On Command has made innovating its content a top priority, and the partnership with USA Today is likely to be one of many. “USA Today is the first of many partnerships that you can look for coming from On Command,” said Greg Schoeny, director of business development, Internet services at On Command. “Were looking to aggregate all of the best content providers. Thus far, in regards to Internet-enabled TV, other companies are just taking existing Internet content and reformatting it and hoping it looks good. On Command is taking it one step further in offering specialized content to our viewers through the formation of partnerships with content providers,” Schoeny continued. The launch of USA Today News Center on OCX I-TV is only the first step in the long-term partnership between the two companies. According to Schoeny, USA Today and On Command are in the process of developing additional technology to take the offering to the next level. “Stage one of the partnership involves deploying the USA Today news content into all of On Commands guestrooms. Stage two will involve adding the ability to capture information from users and personalize the content to their needs. You will see an amazing level of personalization and cross promotional capabilities in the next generation of this platform,” said Schoeny. Although the USA Today News Center content is offered free-of-charge to guests, Schoeny anticipates that its addition to On Commands offerings will drive additional Internet access sales. “We look at this as providing an incentive for guests to come into our menu system and stay longer. Value-added services like the USA Today content will drive video-on-demand revenues and encourage guests to surf the Internet further with our pay Internet access,” said Schoeny.