- RE-LAUNCH INCLUDES ENHANCED PLAYER COMMUNITY AND INTERACTIVE FEATURES -
etv media group is re-launching Gala Coral Group’s successful bingo channel, Gala TV, as an online channel in a strategic move to align with changes in viewing and playing habits. The move to online also enables the use of interactivity and digital media tools to enhance the player community experience.
Mark Murphy, MD, etv media group said: “Gala TV has proved a fantastic success, and the move online is a conscious strategic decision made with the advent of social TV and increasing online viewing figures firmly in mind. The channel has attracted a loyal player community, and the level of immediacy, community and enjoyment that will be offered with the re-launch will put these players at the heart of the action.
Our work on producing the televisual content for Gala TV over the last two years has been an incredible feat – from the production of the live shows through to the collection and processing of the data – and a testament to our team’s abilities. The next stage in the channel brand’s development builds on this, utilising etv’s expertise in delivering web content that attracts, engages and retains users. The re-launch will also allow us to look ahead to future opportunities such as simulcasting and alternative web-based platforms.”
From 31 March, Gala TV will be moving off the Sky EPG, and will instead be broadcast 24 hours-a-day on the Gala TV section of www.galabingo.com. As part of the re-launch, etv will be introducing several new online features which will strengthen the playing community and drive viewer interaction:
o New player profiles with visual elements such as pictures and a location map.
o Online player communication with each other and the on-screen talent using the live chat room, Facebook, Skype, Twitter and email.
o Analysis and presentation of player and channel data such as the display of winners’ names and pictures on air, winner postcode maps and the percentage of winners from each star sign.
There is also a range of new talent joining the channel, including Sam Mann (Capital FM, This Morning, Angela & Friends, E – the entertainment channel and Wedding TV), Ben Hull (Hollyoaks and Casualty), Torie Campbell (Sky Sports, Bid/Price Drop TV) and Will Gowing (GMTV/Daybreak, QVC and LBC Radio) among others. Each night there will be a regular signature show for a presenter, which will be themed from music and showbiz gossip to heath and fitness and movies.
etv media group was originally brought on board by Gala Coral Group in 2009 to re-launch the Gala TV channel, which had previously been produced by Endemol UK, with the aim of improving its performance – leading to significant upward trends in the number of unique players per night and the participation rate of those players.
