ProSiebenSat.1 revamps red button offering via HbbTV

ProSiebenSat.1 has rolled out a new red button offering for smart TVs in Germany, based on the HbbTV standard.

The new red button portal offers full TV episodes and content, with the media library organised by topic into playlists.

Smart TV users can access entertainment from the ProSieben, Sat.1, Kabel Eins, Sixx, ProSieben Maxx, Sat.1 Gold, and Kabel Eins Doku brands.

Viewers can also press the red button to access an entertainment feed of digital news and entertainment information while watching TV, with ‘dual consumption’ a focus of the new offering.

This interactivity extends to play-along quiz shows, which viewers can take part in. The broadcaster claimed this has already generated interaction rates as high as 26%.

“We now know very well that viewers’ entertainment needs have become more complex. While our users watch linear TV, they simultaneously have the option to get additional information via HbbTV,” said Stefanie Lüdecke, co-managing director of ProSiebenSat.1 Digital.

“With our new red button portals, we have created a first-class content platform and combined the best of the two worlds of TV and internet. We are thereby actively shaping the development of linear TV.”

ProSiebenSat.1 said a survey it conducted into viewer activity before and after using the new red button services showed that 56% of viewers watched more TV than they did before using the offering.