Tablets and the battle for the viewers

Mobile devices, and notably tablets, play an increasing role in how people experience television shows. This conclude studios and technology firms yesterday during a conference on “The New TV Watching”.

Studios develop websites and applications to strengthen the involvement with their audience. Dutch commercial broadcaster RTL, for example, developed a site on which viewers can see the heart rate of X factor candidates. In the words of content director for RTL Matthias Scholten: “We’re exploring the dynamic between the big and the small screen” As viewers appear to value the possibility to watch and share extra footage online after the shows have ended, makers of shows like real live soap Oh Oh Cherso shoot more film for the express purpose of publishing it online.

Another beautiful example comes from the F1 races. At the start of the new season, an official F1 app was published that informed users of lap times and the temperature of the track as well as showing a 3d image of the track with the position of the racers. Using the app, viewers can furthermore deliver direct commentary on what’s happening, for example via Twitter.

Technology firms support this trend. Philips, for example, is about to launch apps for both the iPhone and the iPad to facilitate the operation of their NetTV, taking over the role of the remote. Furthermore, the consumer electronics firm develops widgets to provide extra funcitonalities like video on demand and watching recent TV programmes.

Cablers, in the meantime, do not remain still. Both Ziggo and UPC have developed apps to, for example, publish TV schedules and remotely operate digital video recorders.

Source: Emerce (in Dutch)