Richard Kastelein’s recent article on TeeVee 2.0 describes how more and more people are watching TV and browsing the web simultaneously – 57% according to Neilsen. Kastelein says that users are looking for the internet and TV to merge into TV 2.0. Online entities, such as MySpace, are adding TV viewing to their sites, while set-top box manufacturers, like TiVo, have begun to integrate web content and control into their products. TV 2.0 moves beyond just internet integration by enabling social interactions and personalization. It becomes Social TV.
Social TV replicates the shared TV experience of friends and family sitting around the living room watching a show together. The conversations sometimes revolve around what is happening in the show, but can also be completely unrelated – a chance to share and bond. Social TV expands on the living room scenario to include those who would never have been able to attend in person – the sister away at college, the friend that moved to Colorado, the co-worker that is a little too strange to have over to your house. Social TV brings the shared experience to a new level.
Personalization will also enable Social TV users to customize what they see, get recommendations based on what their friends are watching, and to create a visible presence that shows off their preferences in a way similar to a Facebook profile or MySpace page. This personalization can lead to better show choice, or at least a new set of conversation topics.
Facebook hit 250,000 million users because people see incredible value in connecting with friends, family and acquaintances. Movie theater attendance is back on the rise, demonstrating the value of shared experiences in the face of higher ticket prices and better home theater equipment. Shared TV’s combination of friends and experiences couldn’t come at a better time.
