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One of the more exciting emerging trends in the digital media space is the ’second-screen experience.’  With the prevalence of laptops, tablets, and mobile phones, viewers are no longer confined to viewing one screen.  They can now interact with multiple screens simultaneously, fundamentally altering the way viewers consume media.

 

Social TV is a prominent component of the ‘second screen’ revolution, primarily because mobile technology introduces social media into the TV viewing experience.  Hulu CEO Jason Kilar calls social media a “game-changer” for TV, and Futuresacpe says social media “has radical implications for the future of television viewing and the business of TV.” (Source)

 

Sports are especially well-suited for social TV integration for two reasons:

1. Mobile devices allow the viewer to access more information, such as stats and player bios, via their second screen.  For example, the NBA Courtside app provides real-time, in-dpeth stats to its users. ”We give them (our fans) the info our TV analysts would have at their fingertips,” said Bryan Perez, president of NBA’s Digital Group. (Source)
2. Social TV facilitates interaction amongst fans watching a game.  Fans want to connect with other fans, even what watching a game or event on tv, and social tv allows for this.

 

TV and sports have long been social ‘unifiers,’ bringing people together around a common experience.  The ability to tie these experiences together, and enhance them using mobile devices will dictate the future of sports television consumption.

 

 

Here are some interesting articles on Second-Screen Experience and Social TV:

 

• MTV’s second-screen experience rocked Movie Awards, from lostremote.com
• They have a Notion. Tablets and Social TV, from appmarket.tv
• HBO gets social with HBO Connect, from CNN.com