Time Warner TV Shifts Emphasis to Social Viewing

Bluefin Labs uses scientific technology to collect comments from social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, tracking when viewers posted and what they said. The data is particularly valuable to cable companies and television stations anxious to know viewers' real-time responses.

The relationship between traditional television viewing and social networking sites, once thought mutually exclusive, is growing. When viewers interact with social media, talking and posting about shows while they're in progress, TV ratings seem to improve, particularly during live broadcasts like awards shows.

Cable networks are picking up on that trend, and the data that Bluefin Labs provides helps determine key demographics and viewer preferences, which in turn helps attract advertisers.

The entertainment industry traditionally views social networking and new media as competition to traditional movie and television viewing, particularly television stations that see streaming services like Netflix and Hulu filching customers.

However, emerging data proves working together is mutually beneficial for both mediums. Web-savvy viewers in the highly coveted 18-35 demographic respond particularly well to shows and broadcasts that encourage interaction on social networking sites, and TV stations are capitalizing on that trend.

Time Warner, which owns CNN and HBO, also backed the popular start-up GetGlue, which allows TV viewers to "check-in" when they are watching their favorite shows and earn prizes and virtual stickers for watching certain episodes.

"For Time Warner it's pretty important to understand where the social data might take us and how it impacts television programming as well as the advertising", said Time Warner investments executive Rachel Lam.

The future of television is moving in an unexpected direction -- toward the computer and smartphone. If that's where the viewers are, that's where the entertainment industry, as well as advertisers, are sure to follow. Companies like Bluefin provide the essential tools for TV and broadcast media to do just that, helping them move into a more connected future.