Today, TV watching has become an activity that has moved away from the traditional living room scenario where a family sits together and watches a particular programme. India is slowly moving towards houses owning more than one TV in metros, tier 2 and satellite cities. The prices of LED TVs have significantly fallen in the last federal budget and thus made it more affordable for middle class houses to squeeze in another TV. Along with having more than one TV, the smartphone and tablet penetration in the country is also rising with great momentum. Introduction of projects such as Google’ Android One in partnership with low cost manufacturers as Karbonn and Micromax has made a smartphone affordable to anyone that can shell out Rs. 6000, which in India’s EMI friendly market is not a lot.

Various studies around the world have claimed that TV viewers that own a smartphone have their attention divided between the two devices. With one eye on the wall, viewers are constantly using their smartphone to chat with friends, tweet, update their social media status or read up some more on what they are watching. Studies have shown that disengagement from the TV increases even more during commercial breaks. With India and most of the world still running on the traditional revenue model for broadcasters where the broadcasters sell ad space to various brands. The economic viability of this model is at stake if brands start realizing that the moneys they expend on these ads is not worth the increase in sales for their products. If this starts happening, it can lead to a vicious cycle where broadcasters, now affected by lower revenues, start commissioning projects for lower sums thus reducing production quality and furthermore leading to content that does not please the evolved and high expectations of the 21^st Century TV consumer.

Today’s digital marketers have realized that rather than thinking of smartphones as distractions, it can be used to augment the content shown on the big screen. Thus came about the Second Screen Revolution. Networks and Studios have created/commissioned smartphone/ tablet apps to accompany the content shown on the TV. These apps offer users extras such as add-on content, in depth insights into a show’s story and characters, games based around the show, behind the scenes action and to keep in sync with the social nature of human beings, even access to communities and forums where the show can be discussed, opinionated on and thoughts shared with friends and other TV buffs. Apps such as ZEEBOX and SHAZAM can capture sounds from your TV through your smartphone’s microphone input and provide users with extra content on those shows.

Users that are really involved with various shows can gain by gaining more knowledge about the shows they love and marketers find a measurable way to identify audience responses through social media interactions built into these apps and also offer brands a second stage to display their products through offers, special promotions, and ad spots. As long as the apps can keep up with the content demands of their audiences, it’s a win-win for all.

 Lets take a look at some of the famous second screen apps that audiences in the US are embracing in a huge way.

 1. The Walking Dead Story Sync App

  This app offers users polls, trivia, stills, quotes and flashbacks from the show. It also allows them to share their experiences with other viewers

2. HBO Go

Everyone that has watched an HBO show knows the level of detail the shows go into and the intensity with which users need to follow the show. This app is the solution to most unanswered questions, extra information and additional content that most users crave.

3. Tvtag

This app explores the social dynamic of TV viewing. Event though most users are watching the content in the privacy of their homes, Tvtag makes the solitary nature of this activity obsolete as viewers can now check-in to the TV shows they are watching and share conversations about it to their social circles.

4. The Nick App

The Nick App received an Emmy for best user experience and design as part of the Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media. This app regularly updates itself with games and add-on content.

Therefore such apps are keeping viewers interested in content that is being disseminated through the TV medium and go beyond the traditional TV set. India is currently losing TV viewers to digital mediums. Its time for content creators and marketers to once again look to the west and see whether these ideas can be replicated for the Indian Audience.