From the first time home viewers sent text messages via their mobile phones to vote for their favorite "American Idol," they were clearly hooked. The first night, 50,000 votes were cast, and the numbers continue to climb.

Currently users can interact with all kinds of programming, from reality competitions such as "Project Runway," "Dancing With The Stars" and "Hell's Kitchen," to game shows. The current king of participation TV (PTV), "Deal or No Deal," offers viewers a chance to play at home with the Lucky Cases Game. PTV is also being incorporated into new programs and even more forms of entertainment with its addition to fantasy football and the broadcast of NBA games.

It is no exaggeration to say PTV is on the verge of a growth explosion. According to data from Nielsen Mobile, (previously known as Telephia) for the first half of 2007 PTV accounted for retail revenue generation of $56 million in the mobile entertainment industry, with the most popular four or five shows making up 85 percent of the revenue. Currently, there are dozens of shows incorporating viewer participation into program formats.

My company, mBlox, a mobile transaction network, estimates that the market for PTV in the U.S. will grow to $170 million in 2008. Behind the scenes, mBlox, as an aggregator, connects the production companies with the viewers who send text messages. Aggregators act as the intermediary, providing the infrastructure for the SMS traffic sent between viewers and their favorite TV shows.

Author notes: Steve Livingston is the chief marketing officer for mBlox. Read full bio.