• by Wayne Friedman , January 10, 2012

Fox is getting closer to being able to "see" its viewers while they watch TV programming.

Microsoft Corp. and Fox's parent News Corp. announced a series of new apps for Xbox Live for much of News Corp.’s broadcast, news and Web properties. The apps will incorporate content, as well as voice- and motion-activated controls, using Kinect for Xbox 360, Microsoft's gaming console that functions as a new age set-top TV box. The news was announced at the Consumer Electronics Show on Tuesday.

The News Corp. brands taking part in the deal include Fox Broadcasting, Fox News Channel, IGN Entertainment Inc. and The Wall Street Journal.

Alex Garden, general manager, Microsoft's Xbox Live, stated that the new properties on Xbox provide "great on-demand TV options." He cited "the magic of Kinect ... to find the entertainment you want by simply using your voice -- whether it’s news and headlines from Fox News and The Wall Street Journal or your favorite Fox shows, like ‘Family Guy’ and ‘Glee’.”

Other content for the Fox app includes short- and long-form programming with on-demand availability for “House,” “New Girl,” “Bones,” “Fringe,” and “The Simpsons,” among others. The app will also integrate Facebook.

Earlier, Microsoft announced that as part of its Kinect function for Xbox 360, it will develop a more two-way interactive TV experience --  including the upcoming new Windows operating system that Samsung Electronics has already developed, which offers gesture and facial recognition technology for TV viewing and Web browsing.

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