DirecTV, Wink and Thomson preview interactive TV service

Demonstrating that mass-market interactive television is closer to becoming a reality, DirecTV, Wink Communications and Thomson multimedia unveiled DirecTV Interactive powered by Wink.

The service includes program-related interactive enhancements from several networks and new dedicated interactive TV channels from DirecTV, Barnes&Noble.com, ESPN, NBC and The Weather Channel.

The service will be available to more than 1 million households by the end of October and more than 5 million households by the end of 2001.