Latest from Next TV in Second-screen-apps

Nielsen Extends Watermarks to Second-Screen Apps

jon.lafayette@futurenet.com (Jon Lafayette) — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 15:45:00 +0000

Nielsen is making its watermarks -- digital codes embedded in programs and commercials that help it identify pieces of content -- available to clients looking to implement second-screen applications and other engagement strategies.

The measurement company said it is working with Digimarc Corp., which can create additional watermarks to bookmark specific elements of the content, such as a product placement or the appearance of a character; that enables second-screen experiences that closely track in real-time what the viewer is watching. Networks are using second-screen experiences to harness multitaskers and increase engagement with both programs and advertising.

Some marketers use applications like Shazam to coordinate second-screen experiences. Kelly Abcarian, senior VP for global watch product leadership at Nielsen, said the watermarks -- which help Nielsen identify the programs viewers are watching as it calculates ratings -- are more efficient at identifying content, in turn making applications run more smoothly.

“Our clients have asked us how they can leverage the watermarking footprint they have inside the telecast to do things beyond audience measurement,” Abcarian said.

Using the watermarks to coordinate second-screen apps won’t disrupt Nielsen’s measurement activities, the company said.

i.TV Shutting Down ‘tvtag’ Social TV App

Jeff Baumgartner — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 17:45:00 +0000

Tvtag’s life as the successor brand to GetGlue will be a short one. The social TV app will shut down at the start of the new year, i.TV confirmed.

“Later this month, we will be shutting down tvtag and its supporting apps in order to refocus our efforts on other initiatives,” tvtag told users via an email message Friday (December 19) that was first spotted by GigaOm. “Effective January 1, tvtag.com will no longer be accessible and the tvtag mobile apps will cease to function.”

The shutdown “is a clarifying step to focus our efforts behind i.TV initiatives that will become public early next year,” i.TV CEO Brad Pelo said in an emailed statement.“We’re grateful for our association with the GetGlue community as they became tvtag under our ownership. We have learned and benefitted greatly from our year together. One indicator of that benefit is that many of the GetGlue team members remain at i.TV and the bulk of our work force has shifted to New York City.”

The decision to shut down tvtag, an app/service that competes with companies such as Viggle, comes about 11 months after i.TV announced the tvtag brand, which resulted in the retirement of the GetGlue brand. i.TV announced its acquisition of GetGlue in November 2013. Viggle had earlier tried and failed to merge with GetGlue.

Following the deal, tvtag aggregated the i.TV second screen audiences from GetGlue, DirecTV and Nintendo (via the Nintendo TVii feature that’s baked into the Wii U console and Wii U GamePad). At the time, i.TV said the move would give tvtag a total reach of about 10 million users. As of December 20, the tvtag website claims that more than 15 million people “use i.TV technology to discover, watch and engage with television.”

The tvtag app let users “tag” moments during TV shows and sporting events with comments, doodles and memes. Tvtag also kept some of the GetGlue features in place by letting usres “check in” to a show and unlock digital stickers. “Tvtag is to Twitter what Instagram is to mobile messaging,” Pelo said when tvtag was introduced.

Ahead of the shutdown, i.TV told tvtag users that they can request a copy of their data by emailing their user names to datarequest@tvtag.com.

HGTV Partners With Viggle

Jeff Baumgartner — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 17:45:00 +0000

Viggle, the second-screen specialist that rewards users for watching TV shows, has hooked up with HGTV on an exclusive marketing partnership built around the network’s primetime programming lineup.

The program will be supported across Viggle’s platforms, including its free mobile app, at Wetpaint.com, and the Viggle Reminders service.

Under the loyalty/engagement component of the program, Viggle users will get 4x the number of points for checking into any primetime HGTV shows (from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET/PT) via the Viggle app. Fans can redeem those points to earn “top fan status” and receive exclusive HGTV prizes and rewards from Viggle, the companies said.

HGTV will also have access to Viggle’s publisher tools and social distribution technology. , including one-click reminders and set-DVR functionality across its marketing channels, and have the ability to add Viggle Point earning capability across its own channels. HGTV will also have access to check-in data to help it optimize its Viggle-based viewership loyalty campaigns.

The 15-month partnership kicks off in this month.

“We’re thrilled to partner with one of the leading cable networks to offer engaging experiences and rewards for their top viewers,” said Greg Consiglio, president and COO of Viggle, in a statement. “We are constantly seeking innovative ways to make the TV experience more engaging and rewarding and this partnership exemplifies those goals on several levels. HGTV’s content is perfectly aligned for us to create unique promotions across the Viggle platform and our newly announced publisher tools will help fans of these shows to never miss an episode.”

“By engaging with our targeted audience across multiple platforms, we are able to obtain key insights about our viewers beyond demographics,” added Shannon Driver, SVP of marketing and creative at Scripps Interactive. “The Viggle platform offers innovative loyalty solutions with targeting, reaching our core audience on their mobile devices while they watch TV, and we are excited to be able to offer this opportunity to our viewers.”

Viggle said its platform had a total reach of 26.2 million as of September 2014, including more than 7 million Viggle registered users. Viggle members have redeemed over $20 million in rewards for watching their favorite TV programs, the company said.