US television users can now switch from Twitter to a television program. A special button within the tweet switches the user automatically over to the television program on the tv, tablet or telephone.
Television broadcasters can promote certain programs true the medium of Twitter. Users can see the program directly with the so called ‘See-It button’. They can also record it.
Currently Twitter earns a lot of money in collaboration with television companies, but it’s only 10% of the total income.The social media medium, that want to go on the stock market soon, wants to offer more services to television companies. In this way they want to expand their income.
Besides the possibilities to switch to a television program, Twitter also wants to offer cinema tickets true their medium in the future. For this future plans the company is now cooperating with the American ticketservice Fandango.
Personally I think that this is a really innovating idea. But I doubt if people will actually use it. It’s an easy and super fast way to switch from Twitter to a television program but I’m not sure if it is useful. Most of the people nowadays know exactly at what time ‘their program’ is on, so I think there is no need for this ‘switching thing’. Besides that, almost every provider offers a recording option on the tv, so people can record whenever they want to.
What do you think?
Link: http://www.nu.nl/internet/3597702/twitter-komt-met-televisiefunctie.html
Well I actually think this is a good idea. When you think about the way people use twitter and when people use twitter, it might work. I agree with the point you make that people know when their favourite show is on and don’t need twitter to remind them, but I also don’t think that should be the target group. Because, as also mentioned in class (if I remember correctly), people use Twitter when they are bored. So what is better for television companies or program makers to directly contact this group of people that probably has nothing to do at that moment. So I think there really is a ‘market’ for this television function
I think it all depends on the costs you have to pay to make use of the service. You mentioned that people often know what time their program is on. This is true, but not everyone is able to watch television at that certain time. If there are streaming possibilities through Twitter then the programs can easily be viewed with a smartphone. Let us not forget that we have to pay for every option a provider provides. For me it is to expensive to add a recording option on my television. That is why I would rather watch a program live on my smartphone. This might of course create negative externalities. People will for instance use their smartphone TV in the car. But then again I don’t know if that matters to Twitter. All these availabilities on smartphone create a big Moral Hazard in my opinion.