The TV industry has become increasingly aware of its viewers’ “two-screen” behavior, in which the viewer will be watching the program through their television screen, then commenting on the program moments later through social media sites. In order to capitalize on this behavior, many major television channels such as ABC and CBS are trying to join the forces together to improve viewer ratings. Executives are aware of the multi-tasking attitude of this generation, so they are trying to find ways to adapt to consumer behavior. It seems to be working since the Grammy awards had its highest rating in a decade this year.
A possible reason for this is the “water-cooler effect” where the discussion of the shows before and during makes them more interesting to watch. This is making TV interactive- where it only used to be shared with the people you were physically in a room with; you can now easily connect to millions of people through Twitter and have a shared experience. (Stelter) Previously, watching television alone was seen as antisocial, but with the new ways communication, viewers make television watching a social interaction. In my opinion, this is sad that people feel this kind of communication is a replacement for face-to-face interaction. I agree as though social networking while watching television may enhance the program, it should not be replacing live social interaction.
Dick Costolo, the chief executive of Twitter, is also being as bold to say that his social networking site will dull the importance of digital video recording because viewers are feeling more pressure to watch events live because of the Twitter conversations. Since so many people are tweeting during the events, many viewers feel they have to watch immediately because they will miss out on something. I can personally relate to this because I have seen the season finale shockers of my favorite television shows on social networking sites such as Facebook before I have had the chance to watch it myself, which forces me to watch the show sooner than I originally would. I am eager to watch the program before someone else can spoil it for me online.
One of the most prominent digital video recording systems, TiVo, is feeling the pressure to compete with the interactive experience. With the Oscars coming up, they do not want to be left in the dust by social networking sites. They have offered three different programs to enhance their viewers’ satisfaction for this awards show in particular. They have made the nominated films available for download so that viewers can catch up before show airs, created easy access to past winning films to flashback to the show, and allowed for the option to search for a favorite actor or director and watch their films. (marketwire)
It seems to me that all aspects of media are trying to find new ways to appeal to customers, and now the TV industry has found a way to capitalize on social networking. According to advertising executive Randall Beard, “the best form of advertising is a recommendation from a friend or family member.” When friends and family members are able to join together on a social networking site, and make recommendations for millions of people to see, that is effective advertising for the TV industry.
Works Cited:
Stelter, Brian. "TV Industry Taps Social Media to Keep Viewers’ Attention." www.NYTimes.com. 21 Feb. 2011. Web. 21 Feb. 2011.
Stelter, Brian. "Water-Cooler Talk About the Water-Cooler Effect - NYTimes.com." www.NYTimes.com. 24 Feb. 2010. Web. 21 Feb. 2011.
"TiVo Has the Oscars Covered Beyond the Red Carpet." Web. 21 Feb. 2011.
The power of social media sites in the technology world today is amazing. It is almost impossible to find a person from our generation who does not have an account on a site like Facebook or Twitter. I don’t think that social networking while watching television is replacing live social interaction all that much. I still watch TV shows or events with friends and family and if I don’t, usually discuss them. I know that people communicate via social networking sites about television, but I don’t see as much of a problem with this as I do when people talk through these sites about other topics. Television isn’t a very serious topic, so I feel that face-to-face interaction isn’t completely necessary. I am sure some of these people also discuss their points of view with friends and find it fascinating that they can also have a shared experience with others while watching the television, especially during events. It is more exciting to watch an event like the Oscars and hear what everyone has to say about it, even online. I think this is great for the television market. I found it interesting that TiVo is feeling pressured to compete with this interactive experience. It is pretty cool that they have offered new programs and I think that these are great ideas for appealing to customers. They need to gain a competitive advantage and make their customers want to stay.
ReplyDeleteInformation technology is making it's way even to the red carpet it seems. The realization of user behavior by major networks like ABC and CBS can only benefit their customer relations in the future. It is hard to imagine television (the stations themselves) needing customer service to run efficiently, but Abby's post proves just that. The "two-screen behavior" allows customers to personalize their TV viewing experience, and it was only a matter of time before the television industry caught on and used it to their advantage. The idea that social networks like Twitter and Facebook are basically peer pressuring members to watch their shows earlier than they would, and I see nothing wrong with this. Twitter and Facebook, along with their other features, are immense marketing tools for a multitude of products and services. Television is no different, and is free to invade and badger us to watch our shows. Sometimes it can serve to remind us of a show we forgot about or sometimes it can just be a nuisance, but one thing is for sure, you will not forget to watch that new episode of "Desperate Housewives" anytime soon
ReplyDeleteThe fact that television stations are utilizing social networking sites to increase ratings and collect information does not come as a surprise to me. In fact, if they weren't doing so, I would be surprised that they were missing out on crucial information. Nowadays, major companies of any kind need to realize the power and influence of social networking sites. People log on to these sites and give out information for free. That's right it's free. How could a company not want free information that they could use to their benefit? It is true that people post about tv shows and major tv events that can sometimes ruin a surprise for someone who hasn't watched yet. In such a case, this could cause a person or people to watch their shows sooner, or to not check their social network sites until they watch it. A lot of scenarios can be generated, but the bottom line is that this information has to be used to a company's advantage. As a matter of fact, the information given out on these sites can be used for anyone's advantage. Not doing so is just rejecting a logical and practical decision.
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