The Web Back Channel

It's tempting to view ipads, smartphones and the like as the direct competitor to cable and satellite TV industry. Some are unplugging altogether and relying on Netflix, Hulu +, etc. as primary entertainment hubs. I think we're conditioned to concept on these portals as competitive and independent entities. But an increasingly common behavior is to combine these technologies in tandem. Richard Bullwinkle of Rovi calls this the "Web Back Channel." TV, Bullwinkle contends, has always been social. And can still function as a base layer that we build upon. This year's academy awards saw widespread behavioral split between watching the broadcast, while tweeting via tablet or smartphone. Networks and manufacturers are rushing apps to consumer that will grease the skids for this kind of mass adoption. But I think this also suggests some riveting possibilities for our industry. Such as commercials that continue on your iPad. Or live channels of communication that open on your lap to answer questions about a commercial the consumer just saw. Just the hype around a hybridized TV/tablet communication could be worth significant investment.