DirecTV Drops OpenTV's Wink

OpenTV (OPTV Quote) said Thursday morning that one of its interactive television services would be dropped from DirecTV next month.

DirecTV's decision to drop OpenTV's Wink service -- a move that will affect 10.4 million of the satellite operator's set-top boxes -- cuts off business that amounted to 2% of OpenTV's revenue over the past nine months. It eliminates one of the three major carriers of Wink in the U.S.

Finally, the move spotlights shifting relationships and complicated loyalties in the interactive TV market, which has for years held out the promise of revolutionary changes in TV viewing habits and industry economics, but so far has failed to deliver.

Shares in OpenTV -- a controlling stake in which is held by John Malone's Liberty Media (L Quote) -- fell 51 cents Thursday, or 10%, to $4.43. ...