Can Social Media Get Us to Watch TV Again?

*Original photo by andrewestel. Mash up by Jon Ray.

What would make you start to watch TV again? It seems that everyone is a video content creator these days. With bandwidth forever on the rise, new video sharing sites popping up by the dozen and content aggregators like iTunes and Amazon, the way we view media will never be the same. Now with the writer’s strike, all you can see on television are reruns! Is there still a place in our hearts for content on TV?

I spoke with a colleague today who is looking to build an audience for an on-demand television station one of his clients has on digital cable. The show is focused on music, but willing to branch out into other areas of programming. The idea behind this is similar to HBO OnDemand and AOL Music Videos OnDemand. Rather than having to record each show via TiVo or DVR, the digital cable server automatically makes certain content available to you, the viewer, whenever you want to tune into the channel. It’s pretty much TV trying to be the internet, in a way. The advantage is that the content is broadcast in high definition, instead of a 320 x 240 pixel window.

The question is this:

If someone else made a video and put it on the internet, but that same video was available through HDTV OnDemand, which distribution channel would you most likely watch said video on?

Now, think about this:

If YOU made a video and put it on the internet, but had the opportunity to have it played in full resolution on digital cable OnDemand, which distribution form would you promote more, the internet release or the HDTV release?

And finally:

How inclined would you be to return to an HDTV OnDemand channel, regardless of the initial video you saw there, if you knew there was a huge selection of other content?

Here’s how I would promote this network:

Social Networks and Media

• Using various social networks, particularly those that focus on video, begin building relationships with budding filmmakers in certain genres that currently have only internet distribution.
• Hold a contest and allow these filmmakers to submit their video content to the network’s website to compete for a small production contract.
• Take all submissions and narrow them down to the top 200 videos, which would all be available through the HDTV OnDemand channel for 30 days.
• Encourage contestants to tell their friends to tune to the HDTV Channel and view their and others’ videos.
• Each video will be given a 6-digit video code. A viewer can then compile their favorite 10-20 videos and enter their code’s on the channel’s website.
• At then end of the 30 day contest, the top 10-20 video creators get a small production contract to produce five 3-10 minute videos (on approved topics) each with a small production budget provided by the channel. This would allow for up to 100 new videos each month that would air, OnDemand, in full resolution.

Traditional Media Production and Advertising

• Hire on an in-house production team to produce longer 22-minute shows that focus more closely with the channel’s Music and Lifestyle themes.
• Find sponsors and sell advertising on these long-format shows.
• Increase number of shows, based on amount of advertising sold.
• Use live broadcasts from well-known events as a way to promote the channel and build sponsor list.
• Run 10-second bumper ads before and after “user-generated” content. Allow “users” to pitch ideas for 10-second bumpers and upon sponsor approval, produce them for compensation.

Promotion

• Make the viewer the star. Shoot interstitial spots on location at events that let the people attending have their fifteen minutes (see. 30-seconds) of fame by introducing a video, promoting the channel, or commenting on the event. Then give them a VIP login for the channel’s website that allows them to promote the air date via various social networks and email.
• Let events promote the channel until the channel can promote events. To get started user generated and promoted content, along with sponsored events will drive traffic to the channel. The idea being that as you gain more and more viewership, the channel will be more effective in driving traffic to events. Thus, creating more value for event sponsors.
• Online widgets and applications will make promoting events and channel content easy. And daily, weekly and monthly updates to online widget content and contests will keep users interested and continually promoting the channel.
• A constantly changing roster of content creators will assure that content remains fresh. Every 30 days, viewers can vote off two of the twenty content creators and vote on two new creators to step in and take a crack at television production. The better the content, the longer they’ll have a steady production job with the channel. If eliminated, content creators can always resubmit next month to get back on the production roster. The fluctuating list of creators will ensure that everyone continues to promote their work and the channel.
• Create groups and forums that allow viewers to discuss videos and shows and suggest new programming. By creating an OnDemand network that is driven by user input, the network will build a huge community underneath it that is constantly promoting its shows and making them more compelling.

So, there you have it. If I had an OnDemand network, that is probably the approach that I would take with it. Why don’t some of you try and shoot some holes in that strategy? What would you do if you had your own HD OnDemand network? How would you promote it? Does anyone even watch TV anymore? It this idea better suited for internet-only distribution? Do I have any clue what I’m talking about? I want your input. Leave it in the comments section and let everyone know how smart you can be. : )

UPDATE: Thanks to Connie Benson, I’ve, in a round about way, had perhaps an epiphany and cleared my thoughts further in the comments section of this post.

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