Interesting technology developments are in the pipeline which will allow your new favorite social websites Facebook and Twitter to be married with the content from one of your oldest entertainment medium – the TV.
In the article “TV station owners’ partner with ConnecTV for social media play”, Meg James writes about a group of more than 200 TV station broadcasters who control access to more than two thirds of the homes in the U.S. They are working with a startup company, ConnecTV, to combine the content of the TV show you watch with social media feeds from Facebook and Twitter to your second screen which can be either a laptop, or tablet such as Apple’s iPad.
Fans of TV shows could interact with other fans real-time while watching the show. Additional information on the shows actors/actresses could also be sent thru the second social media stream. More detailed stats of sports players could be stream thru the second feed while watching the big game.
Not surprisingly one of the goals of this new technology is to create a second revenue stream for local TV broadcasters. Stations will be able to sell advertisements which will appear on the second screen. Additionally, teaser to local news broadcasts and other local shows will appear.
What we think at NextGen Digital Home:
Innovation is always good. Especially with an entertainment medium such as TV that has been around more than 60 years. Unfortunately, more advertising is involved. But if consumers are to be given more flexibility in their entertainment options without government involvement then advertising appears to be a necessary evil.
