When John Logie Baird demonstrated his 'Televisor' in March 1925 at Selfridges department store, a stone's throw from my current agencie's location in London's Soho, I doubt he ever imagined that it would spawn the likes of Big Brother, The X-Factor and The Only Way Is Essex and captivate the nation.
Television has come a long way in the subsequent years. The viewing public have traditionally been told by TV companies what to watch, when to watch it and how. While they may have received criticism from TV critics in the national press, the viewing audience's views as a whole would have gone quietly unnoticed. But, with the growing popularity of Social Media, and the ease with which it's accessible, TV companies have suddenly found themselves in the uncomfortable position of seeing real-time public criticism of their shows from the very people who watch them. The public have the power of digital PR at their fingertips.
Twitter in particular now plays an integral part of the viewing experience for a number of people. A recent survey suggested that 8 out of 10 under 25s commented on shows they were watching through Twitter or Facebook, and it appears to be a growing trend. The 'Social TV' phenomenon is catching on.
You only need to take a look at Twitter's public timeline on a Saturday night during a popular show like ITV's dating programme, Take Me Out, to see that people are saying what they think as the show broadcasts, and pardoning the pun, not pulling any punches. TV Execs and their PR agencies should be worried.
Channel 4 and BBC2 appear to be two of the few channels who are actively embracing Social TV in the UK. Seven Days was a good example, a reality show based around the life of some of the residents of Notting Hill. Using the Twitter staple, a hashtag (#sevendays ), offered the opportunity to interact with the stars of the show to ask them questions and give feedback on what they should do in the subsequent episodes.
Until the advent of Twitter and Facebook it hasn't been possible for TV companies to react and interact with their viewers on a such an instantaneous and personal basis. It's a shift that should be embraced rather than feared, an opportunity to take on board criticism and make changes or defend the show accordingly, particularly where they are live or recorded shortly before broadcast. Here are some quick tips for any worried producers out there:
- Let your audience be involved in the show
- Encourage the use of a show specific hashtag
- Interact with your audience while a show is in progress
- Encourage discussion post broadcast as this offers invaluable feedback
- Befriend influential bloggers and tweeters, they will be your friend when your show is talking a beating
More and more shows now have dedicated hashtags, and this looks like a trend that's set to continue. The audience are now making TV rather than watching it.
Who would have thought that in 1925?