Omar Niamut, Martijn Staal, Hans Stokking, Erik Boertjes, Jente Klok and Sven Schultz

IBC 2008, RAI

LARGE-SCALE USER TRIAL SHOWS VIABILITY OF SOCIALEXPERIENCE-SHARING TV SERVICES

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Next-Generation Digital TVSocial TV

Now…

More channels

Higher quality

More of the same…?

Interactive TV

Play along…Delay TV

when I want to…Social TV

with friends…

Next…

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Next…

Social TV – a viable service?

Now…

More channels

Higher quality

More of the same…?

Are these viable services?

Social TV

Social TV

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Large-scale user trial shows viability of social experience-sharing TV services

A field trial with > 50 participants showed that

• Social TV allows viewers to feel more connected

• Social TV enables viewersto find other channels

• Social TV can be used with the push of a button

Social TV

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Social TV connects and enables

• Nowadays, watching television has become an individual experience

• Social TV allows you to share your TV experience with others, even if you are separated in location and time…!

• The number of channels is growing exponentially and it becomes more difficult to find content

• Social TV enables you to find content withthe help of your friends and family…!

Social TV

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• This is not Joe Average in front of his TV…

• Can social TV start by using only the remote control…?

Social TV at the push of a button

This is!

Social TV

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What is the viability of Social TV?

• To which extent does social TV change viewer experience?

• To which extent does social TV affect the viewer behaviour?

• How can social TV services be commercially exploited?

• How can social TV services be leveraged?

Social TV

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Large-scale field trial

• One of the most extensive field trials of its kind

Set-up• tested in >50 households• 9 groups with 4-10 interrelated friends• from July - October 2007

Functionality added to regular TV• View buddy list• Send recommendations• Share remote control• Zap to most popular channel

Measurements• Online surveys• Logging• Experience sampling

Enschede

Determine the future of televisionTogether with TNO

Social TV

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1. zap to channel that your buddy is watching2. recommend current channel to your buddy3. invite your buddy to follow you4. ask your buddy if you can follow him/her

following = co-surfing, i.e. buddy A follows buddy B’s channel change behaviour

1. zap to channel that your buddy is watching2. recommend current channel to your buddy3. invite your buddy to follow you4. ask your buddy if you can follow him/her

following = co-surfing, i.e. buddy A follows buddy B’s channel change behaviour

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I am watching RTL4. Would you like to switch to that channel too? (Yes/No)

I am watching RTL4. Would you like to switch to that channel too? (Yes/No)

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Indications that a buddy watches the same program as youIndications that a buddy watches the same program as you

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Experience sample:Why did you open the buddylist?Experience sample:Why did you open the buddylist?

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Social TV changes viewer behaviourand experience

• Social TV changes behaviour• Buddy list (2.3 x per TV session)• Recommendations (47% accepted)• Watching together (89% accepted)

• Social TV increases sense of connection (40%) and stimulates phone/SMS communication

• Social TV can be used with remote control (60%)

Social TV

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Participants value Social TV services

“No added value for what I’m willing to pay money.”

“Set-up of the service is good but still very limited.”

“Although a few bugs, it is a nice service.”

“Where is the chat-functionality? If a buddy is online I want to chat with him.”

“Nice add-on to television.” “Knowing what my

friends are watching is fun.”

“It is not an intrusion of my privacy. I actually learn to know my friends better.”

Results and quotes from survey:• 20% of users say that they watch other channels• 50% of users want to use improved version with communication• 50% of users do not mind advertisements

Social TV

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Commercial exploitation of Social TV services

Premium

Social TV stimulates the use of other

(premium) services

AdvertisingSocial TV opens up new channels for

advertising

Upgrade

Social TV related services stimulate

up selling & reduce churn

Social TV

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Leveraging Social TV with Next-Generation Networks

• Social TV must be realized in Next-Generation IPTV networks

• IMS enables combinational services with Presence, IM, Voice and TV

Social TV

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TV at TNO

• TNO Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is a 350-employee not-for-profit Dutch research institute.

• One of TNO’s focus points is innovation in television and interactivity. TNO contributes actively to OMA BCAST and ETSI TISPAN standardization of interactive mobile TV and IMS-based IPTV.

www.tno.nl

Dr. Omar NiamutTNO Information and Communication TechnologyDept. Multimedia Technology

: P.O. Box, 2600 GB Delft, The Netherlands℡: +31 6 519 162 42

: omar.niamut@tno.nl: www.tno.nl, search for "ConnecTV"

Social TV

Omar Niamut, Martijn Staal, Hans Stokking, Erik Boertjes, Jente Klok and Sven Schultz

Thank You!