TV Broadcasters Hit Big With Viewer Phone Participation

Traditional TV ad revenue is down in Europe. But broadcasters are finding a great new stream of revenue from cell phones. “The tide of calls, televotes and text messages billed at premium rates of more than 1 euro a message are building a market that could top 750 million, or more than $900 million, in Europe by the end of the year. To hook viewers on their handsets, producers are focusing on universal topics like love and money, and eclectic ones like cosmetic surgery.”