There is a rising tide of comment about something which is best called Social TV. Simply put, you can discuss a TV programme with your mates even when they are not there, using digital connection and a key pad of some kind. Think instant messaging with your social network but themed around telly watching. Imagine recommendations based on viewing habits of your friends, but real time.
What is fasinating about this idea is that it sets up an emotional conflict for the idealists among us who regard digital as a tool for enhancing social networks (good), with TV (bad) - the medium that may have done more to kill conversation than any other.
Whatever, the notion of your content overlaid on top of their content (either in the same screen or on two different screens) is a major change and represents a creative challenge to content owners who, if this takes off, will have to figure out how to adapt to make the most of it.
My bet is it will be the phone where we see this emerge. After all, it's happening with SMS already. Last week during the Chelsea/Bayern Munich match on TV I sent a text to my mate Chris - "can you hear the Germans sing?",(Chelsea had just gone 2-0 up and the Munich crowd fell very silent) "No-oh, no-oh" came the near instantaneous reply.
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