ICTV Gets $87 Million From TV Guide, Others

ICTV Inc., a closely held company that helps cable providers sell Internet and other new services, said it received an $87-million investment from eight companies, some of which could use its equipment. ACTV Inc., Adelphia Communications Corp., Liberty Digital Inc., Motorola Inc., OpenTV Corp., Shaw Communications Inc., TV Guide Inc. and Lauder Partners invested in the Los Gatos, Calif.-based company. Additional terms weren’t disclosed. ICTV’s components let cable television companies provide Internet connections and interactive TV over existing networks. Cable operators are spending billions of dollars to upgrade lines for new services such as interactive TV, which lets viewers play along with broadcast game shows, choose from a variety of camera angles and get information on advertised products.