TV begins to integrate social media

Interesting article in AdAge today talks about how TV programs and networks are beginning to integrate social media. Some examples from the article…

- Viewers of recent episodes of Warner Bros.’ syndicated “Ellen DeGeneres Show” watched as Jeannie, one of the program’s production assistants, drove across the country in a new 2010 Terrain from General Motors’ GMC. Fans that follow the show’s Twitter feed, @TheEllenShow, had the chance to participate in a gas-card giveaway from GMC.

- Walt Disney’s ESPN has begun offering advertisers the chance to sponsor web pages that aggregate tweets from different personalities associated with the sports-media giant.

- NBC is unveiling the NBC.com Communicator, a downloadable tool that lets fans talk to each other via computer desktop even as it sends them ad-supported video clips of NBC content.

- Time Warner’s TBS ran a scroll of selected tweets from fans of its new late-night “Lopez Tonight” show on high-definition screens in Times Square and in about 300 bars around the country.

- Walt Disney’s ABC recently unveiled a new feature for its ABC.com video player that allows users to read comments from show producers and writers, while adding their own commentary, also sharable on Facebook. ABC launched the feature with the premiere episode of sci-fi thriller “V” and said it intends to roll it out “across other series on ABC.com over the coming weeks.”

- News Corp.’s Fox boldly tested the technology on air in September. The network aired reruns of “Glee” and “Fringe” with tweets from fans and creative people involved with the show at the bottom of the screen, but admitted the idea needed some retooling when some viewers expressed displeasure at having the screen covered when they were trying to watch the on-screen action.

TV is already an essential ‘social’ activity, but it’s interesting to see how technology  and social media is enabling the TV viewing experience to become even more social.

Frog design has created a really cool iPhone app called ‘tvChatter’ that pulls in real-time streaming commentary about the program from Twitter, allowing you to post comments, reply to others or filter your followers for a more intimate conversation while watching your favorite TV program.

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