Rovi Announces Deals with Cablevision, Delivery Agent

Rovi Corporation and Cablevision have entered into a multi-year agreement whereby Cablevision will license Rovi interactive program guide (IPG) intellectual property. The agreement provides Cablevision with a license to the Rovi IPG patent portfolio for next-generation set-top box, online and mobile platforms.

In other Rovi news, the company has partnered with Delivery Agent, a T-commerce vendor. The two companies jointly announced contextual commerce capability within Rovi electronic program guides (EPGs) for TV programming. With this capability, consumers will be able to buy products and services directly from their television program guides using their remote controls.

Powered by Delivery Agent’s interactive commerce engine, including its TV Wallet, and its proprietary database of products mapped to TV content, the new shoppable guides are planned to roll out next quarter.

In parallel with the launch of commerce capabilities that allow consumers interacting with the guide to purchase products seen in and associated with related television programming, Delivery Agent plans to work with Rovi to offer EPG display advertisers the opportunity to add commerce elements to their advertising programs.