Disney Channel Gets Interactive With ‘Liv and Maddie’ Episode

Disney Channel this weekend will look to take interactivity to the next level with its tween audience during its May 8 episode of Liv and Maddie.

The network will launch its Disney Channel Live Play interactive feature, powered by iPowow, which will allow viewers to participate in customized quizzes and polls that will appear during Sunday’s 30-minute episode of Liv and Maddie, which stars Dove Cameron, according to network officials.

The show will feature on-screen TV questions about the show approximately every five to six minutes which viewers can respond to by accessing the Disney Channel app on iPads, tablets and mobile phones. In addition, the app itself will offer more Liv and Maddie-driven questions every two to three minutes, according to Disney.

Paul A. DeBenedittis, senior vice president of programming & content strategy for Disney Channels Worldwide said that the network is hoping to create a richer, more interactive experience with its viewers through Live Play.

“We know our core audience wants to engage beyond a viewing experience, so we designed a fun, participatory viewing experience that uses iPowow technology,” DeBenedittis said. "Liv and Maddie has provided us with a unique opportunity as the episode lends itself to a live play experience.”

DeBenedittis said the network will rely on Disney Channel app usage numbers and other interactive engagement measures rather than traditional same day ratings numbers for the episode to determine Live Play’s overall success. He added the network has yet to schedule any additional Live Play offerings on the network.

“We are treating this as a live development tool,” he said. “Our audience will ultimately tell us where to go next.”

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.