Two-Screen Solutions

"Two-screen", or "synchronous solutions", are a form of interactive TV that enables information about a TV show to be accessed via the internet on a mobile phone, laptop or desktop PC. Unlike one-screen interactive TV solutions, where all of the interactivity is on the television, two-screen applications are typically done from a computer, and are free to the user. In these cases, users are not changing the content on the television, they are accessing supplementary information about the show. The difference between two-screens and normal web pages are the two-screens are relevant to the live programming, refreshed in real-time, and often provide social networking around live broadcasts.

Originally thought to be a stop-gap technology until one-screen solutions evolved, recently, it has become apparent that two-screen solutions allow people to condense their media usage time, by creating a multiplatform experience.

Real-Time Interaction

Two-Screen solutions are unique in their ability to offer real-time interaction with television shows. Because all interaction is done from a second screen, they never interfere or distract from the programming. The ability to earn points, win prizes, and play with friends only increases the entertainment value of the show. Allowing fans to predict what will happen next increases their emotional investment in the outcome, creating a more intense and satisfying viewing experience.

Real-time interaction can come in the following formats: predictions, trivia questions, instant recall challenges, and social interaction with other viewers..

*Real-Time predictions ask fans to predict future television events during an episode, such as “Who will win this challenge?” or “Which contestant will win?”

*Trivia questions ask fans about the facts of a show, such as “What is this contestant's home town?”, or "Who was last year's winner?"

*Instant Recall Challenges require fans to recall specific events that occurred in the current episode, such as “What did the judges say about the last contestant's performance?” or "What color were the contestant's shoes in the last scene?"

*Real-time Social Interaction can take the form of chatting or polling during a live episode. Here, the viewers are responsible for creating content and conversations relevant to the show they are currently watching on TV.

Trends

The trend today in media usage is quickly becoming more interactive and multiplatform. A study conducted by Bigresearch in 2003, entitled “Simultaneous Media Usage”: A Critical Consumer Orientation to Media Planning concluded that 32.7% of males and 36.4% of females regularly watch TV when they go online. This media-multitasking behavior means that people are able to condense the time they spend watching TV, playing video games, surfing the internet and listening to music. In fact, according to Viewer Watch, Annual Report on Viewer Behavior, article entitled “Young and Restless: Multiscreen Media’s Experts”, kids aged 8 to 14 manage to compress 8 hours and 26 minutes of media use into about 6 hours and 13 minutes. This study also found that media-multitasking accounted for 26% of kids’ media usage.

Interactive Advertising

When TV and internet advertising are combined, advertisers see the most impactful and lasting results. Two Screen Solutions bring these platforms together to provide the ideal environment for consumer consumption: heightened levels of attention, association, recall and response. Because they are free, they are considered to be the most affordable, accessible and fun form of interactive advertising.

ports

Sports viewing habits have also undergone a change in recent years. With between 15-18 million people participating in fantasy sports, fans are seeking more involvement with the games and players. According to Bob Bowman, President and CEO, MLB Advanced Media, in a comment from the Sports Business Journal’s Sports Media & Technology show in November 2006, “40% of baseball fans have another screen open while watching baseball.” CBS Sports estimates that 30-50% of viewers have two screens open during a game and data from Fox Sports indicates that 43% of NFL viewers are online (30% on a sports site) during the telecast. “It’s impossible in a one screen environment to serve every fan” said Joe Ferreira, CBS Sportsline.

Reality TV

Reality TV programs are especially conducive to two-screen solutions since they have a consistent show format. This allows two-screen solutions to give viewers the chance to make predictions on what will happen next: "Who will get voted off?", "Who will win this challenge?", "Will anyone cry this episode?".

Examples

Currently, NanoGaming is being used by Global TV for their Big Brother 8 interactive game called 'In The House'. [http://www.globaltv.com/bigbrother]

New Technology

A new two-screen entertainment game that has been developed is called NanoGaming. It lets viewers make predictions about what will happen next during live sporting events or TV shows, from their computer.

ee also

Multi-monitor

References

* [http://www.madisonavenuejournal.com/2007/07/05/prediction_nanogaming_will/index.php The Madison Avenue Journal: Prediction: NanoGaming Will Replace Nielsen]

External Links

* [http://www.jacked.com Jacked]