THE launch of a new BBC drama this week takes the relationship between the Internet and television to a new level.

If Big Brother was the first programme to give the net a profile boost with its interactive website, votes and e-mail newsletter, then Attachments from BBC2 takes things a step closer.

The television drama centres around the set up of a fictional company setting up an e-business called www.seethru.co.uk.

And that web address takes visitors to a site which is as real as anything else on the net and doesn't look like an official television website. The site offers "good music, funny stuff, weird websites along with adult content which is not suitable for children".

It is apparently run by a Mike Fisher and has enough bad language and tasteless material to convince any web user that this is genuine. But Mike and the rest of the team are all actors - aren't they?.

If anyone still doubts the power of the web/TV partnership then surfers should have a look at some of the other big players.

The ever-popular soap Coronation Street (www.coronationstreet.co.uk)provides online updates to storylines, chat rooms and recently offered the chance to win Linda's wedding dress as well as inviting entries to its caption competition.

The BBC's Eastenders (www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders) does not want to be outdone on the information superhighway.

It provides everything from information on the new "residents of the square" to message boards including one asking whether Ian deserves to be saved from financial ruin.

The site also includes a question and answer service where the blurring of reality is easy to see.

A recent entry showed the person answering the queries forced to ask: "Do you mean the character or the actor?"

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