KIT LAUNCH CAREER OF VIRTUAL DIGITAL POPSTAR

KIT ARE launching the career of a virtual digital popstar-cum-presenter called ‘TMmy’, whose debut single, ‘You Make My Day’ is released in July.
Expected to be a hit with children, the cyberbabe’s pop video will be available free and on-demand on East Yorkshire’s interactive television service, where ‘TMmy’ - pronounced ‘Timmy’ - will also teach viewers her dance routines as well as host games and language quizzes in a special ‘TMmy’ zone.
Viewers can click onto a promotional page on the KIT service to watch the innovative, computer-generated star’s video to ‘You Make My Day’ and have an opportunity to buy the enhanced CD single.
‘TMmy’ has been designed by Digital Animations Group, the company behind virtual newsreader, Ananova. Such characters could represent the future look of interactive television, guiding viewers round the service and providing online help and assistance.
KIT’s Content & Service Development Manager, Andrew Fawcett, said: “The look and sound of ‘TMmy’ is incredibly realistic and she’s bound to be really popular with our younger viewers who can join her fan club. ‘TMmy’ is the world’s first virtual popstar phenomenon who, we are proud to say, is truly manufactured, albeit from bits and bytes!”
KIT delivers 60 channels of digital television, TV Internet, Email, Home Shopping, Local Link and Video-On-Demand, across Kingston Communications’ network to thousands of East Yorkshire homes to the television via a set-top box. (CD)