When Time Warner Cable introduced video on demand in New York, it generated advertising and agency interest in the medium, and cable operators are hoping for the same result when the company brings interactive TV to the city by the end of the year, Ad Age writes (via MediaBuyerPlanner). Time Warner experimented with interactive TV during the run-up to the Democratic mayoral primary in September. Viewers of Time Warner Cable's NY1 News network were able to participate in a "snap poll" by using specially marked keys on their digital remotes, and were tracked and reported on within minutes.

Marketers have shown a strong interest in interactive TV advertising, labeling it as one of the most promising video applications.

Despite the delayed rollout of interactive TV, NBC Universal Cable president David Zaslov said, "But we see it now. These interactive ads are starting to be sticky and the advertisers are excited about it."

Meanwhile, cable distributors of interactive TV are being scrutinized for not supporting advertising industry events. MediaCom CEO Jon Mandel said interactive TV and video on demand providers alike should reach out more to creatives and media buyers. "You've got to get out to the clients and creative people and show them what you can do," he said. "I don't have a single client that's using it because they can't figure out how."

Dish Network is currently the most advanced channel for interactive ads. Though Dish's interactive TV reaches only 11 million homes, it gives advertisers a chance to test the capabilities on a national level, said Jodie McAfee, SVP of corporate development and marketing for Turner Media Group. "A lot of our clients look at it as a Petri dish."