Digital TV News

Interactivity the future of TV, experts suggest

Monday 6 February, 2012

By Duncan Heaney

Play-along game shows to take off in the coming years?

Interactive game shows, in which viewers play along over the internet while watching the programme, could be the future of television. That was one of the theories suggested at the Westminster Media Forum last week.

Industry experts gathered to discuss the effects of “dual-screen” viewing, and how television can compete with the increasing number of distractions and alternative entertainment forms, such as video games and social media.

Interactive television shows are seen as a potential way to win an audience. The Million Pound Drop, hosted by Davina McCall, was one of the first shows to popularise the concept of interactive TV quizzes. Since its debut in 2010, the show has had one million plays.

On 17 February, Channel 4 launches the new series of The Bank Job, which follows similar principles. In the show, contestants answer questions to gain access to safety deposit boxes filled with cash, and viewers play along.

David Flynn, the creator of The Million Pound Drop pointed out that people have always enjoyed quiz shows as a social experience, and that the rise of smartphones, tablets and laptops give viewers a chance to get involved.

“What we do is take real human impulses and make them possible,” he said. “We don't always watch TV with someone, but we can play along with strangers on Facebook or with friends.”

It’s an interesting vision of the future, but for it to happen some experts believe that TV companies will need to change the way they approach audience interaction - particularly when it comes to monetisation. For example, many companies charge viewers for voting in TV talent shows, whereas Facebook is free.

Mark Cullen, from the ETV Media Group, said: “They have to shift their habits. The real value lies in the data they collect, building a database, affinity clubs,” Cullen explained.

It was also suggested that, rather than detracting and distracting, social media can enhance the live TV viewing experience. In his forum keynote, Peter Bazalgette, president of the Royal Television Society, said that the rise of on-demand programming means that a live TV event has become more special, as the outcome is unknown. In these cases, social media tools like Twitter and Facebook, which let users discuss what they’re watching, make the event even more compelling.