A Lesson Learned.
Over the last few weeks, I have learned a lot about how the television industry is using social media. Even though I was familiar with a few shows on Facebook and Twitter, I had no idea of the extent to which the industry was involved. Here are a few things I learned.
First, I did not think so many networks would have begun to use social media. I thought maybe one or two would have a blog, so I was surprised to see that every single one of the ten networks I researched had at least one item on their website that could be characterized as social media.
I also realized how broad the range of social media is. I didn’t think much beyond blogs, podcasts, and Twitter, but there is so much more out there. From the ability to upload pictures to virtual reality websites, networks are providing all sorts of ways for viewers to connect.
I never understood how much networks depend on social networking sites to keep their viewers on their websites and watching their shows. For example, announcements are “tweeted,” blogged, podcasted, and made a Facebook announcement, and they are all connected to one another. Viewers can see any or all of these, and they all lead back to the main website. This is such a good tool for advertising and communication.
I now see how important it is for viewers to feel connected and for them to be able to communicate with each other and the network. And I definitely am more connected to some of my favorite networks now, as a result of my research, and I will continue to watch how the phenomenon expands in the future.
July 19, 2009 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: Social Media, television | Leave A Comment »
Viacom Gets the Picture
Instead of the usual “go to the website and talk about what I find there” approach I have taken for the first 5 networks I have talked about, I am going to look elsewhere to see what Comedy Central is doing in the realm of social media. I looked on Smart Brief to see what what I could find.
Smart Brief listed pages of press releases by and about Comedy Central. The first release I clicked on taught me something very interesting, not just about Comedy Central, but about all of the networks I have researched so far. Part of the release’s boiler talked a little bit about the company that owns the network, Viacom. The article listed some of the other networks owned by Viacom, including CMT and Nickelodeon. I did a little more research and found out that Viacom also owns BET. This explains a lot. All of the Viacom networks have been the ones that have effectively used social media on their website, while the only network not owned by Viacom (Food Network) has been the only one lacking. This means that Viacom, being the entertainment conglomerate that it is, probably holds its networks to a certain standard in communication and media.
I next went to the Viacom website to see what I could find there. Because it was the subject of the class lecture today, the Investor Relations tab immediately caught my eye. I was a little surprised to find that there was NOT a video annual report, though there was a lot of downloadable information (all in PDF). They do provide excellent contact information, which I have learned is crucial to an effective website.
Back to Comedy Central, the most interesting thing I found on their website in terms of social media is an application that allows viewers to upload their own stand up comedy videos for the chance to be aired on television. I think this is a great way to drive traffic to your website. If someone sees one of the videos on TV and is interested in commenting or seeing more, they have to go to the website.
On a partially related note, I would like to wish a happy 10th birthday to one of my favorite Nickelodeon characters, Spongebob Squarepants. I remember way back when the show first started (when, you might remember, the Nickelodeon website was not equipped with so much social media…)
July 15, 2009 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: Comedy Central, Investor Relations, Smart Brief, Social Media, Viacom | 1 Comment »
Music To My Ears
BET and CMT are both networks centered around music. Albeit very different genres of music, most people would visit each website for the same thing- music videos, ringtones, etcetera. The websites are actually eerily similar in layout, but that is beside the point. As seems to be the trend with other networks though, both websites also prove to be a hub for social media.
Of corse, both sites offer links to blogs on their home pages, but that is expected at this point in my research. What I am more interested in is the fact that both networks have a link to a community page in their main tool bars. This brings up an interesting idea.
I have never really thought about a music network website being a community before, but I suppose that is actually exactly what it is. Where else are fans from all around the country going to discuss and share their favorite music? Local radio stations’ websites can provide a limited platform, but that would only provide a small perspective. Because networks like BET and CMT are centered around a specific genre of music and are accesable nationwide (and internationally in some cases,) their website is the perfect forum for discussion and music sharing.
In the community page on BET, viewers are allowed to upload a picture of themselves, and other viewers vote on the hottest male and female of the day. While this may seem silly to some, a lot of people might use this feature as a way to get themselves out there and be a part of the entertainment world. You also might not realize that, while for superficial reasons, this allows viewers nationwide to physically see the people they are communicating with, which helps strengthen the feeling of community.
Something that caught my eye on the CMT community page is something called “CMT One Country” where viewers nationwide can come together and volunteer. The volunteer projects range from making donations to charities to teaching kids how to swim. Anyone can search volunteer opportunities in their area to see what is available then share their stories on any of the social media provided. On the site, there is a link to groups on Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, and Flux. (Evidentially both CMT and BET have twitters that are advertised on their home pages, so why they didn’t come up in my first search remains a mystery.)
I think something as community driven as volunteering is just a testament to how strong a community can be on the internet. Whether it is centered on music, food, books, etc., online communities are definitely on the rise and becoming stronger. It is definitely to their advantage for BET and CMT to be so involved.
July 15, 2009 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: BET, CMT, community, music, Social Media, television, Twitter | Leave A Comment »
