When the first of 2012’s debates between President Barack Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney aired on October 3rd, 2012 it made modern history as the most tweeted event in U.S. politics. To be fair, Twitter wasn’t exactly the hefty social network when the last presidential debates aired in 2008 that it is today, but the instantaneous response to the presidential debate on social networking sites still offers a prime example of the growing relationship between live television and social media.
Online Water Cooler
In the days before social networking, a person who was jonesing to dissect his or her favorite TV show, but had no one they could call about it, would spend the next day’s work breaks around the office water cooler, hoping for an equally dedicated fan to happen by so they could rehash the show scene by scene. Now, social networking is that water cooler, and fans don’t have to wait until the day after their favorite shows air to find a discussion about it. They can find that discussion online. On multiple sites. With multiple strangers. In real-time.
With social media, the discussion doesn’t even have to wait until the show ends. Any day of the week, a user can sign onto Facebook or Twitter, find the appropriate Twitter #hashtag or the right Facebook wall, and watch the immediate reactions of hundreds of fans.
All those people watching the same show at the same time conversing about it as if they are in the same living room – it’s a modern day phenomenon.
Spoiler Alert
Of course, diehard fans of TV shows know the flip-side to the social media-live TV relationship all too well. Fans who can’t catch a favorite show as it airs live have to practice social media avoidance if they don’t want a play-by-play of the show before they get the chance to watch it.
Unlike message boards and chat rooms with a TV focus, which can be easily avoided, social networks are a constant presence in many people’s lives. People leave social sites up on their computer screens or pull them up on their smart phones without a second thought. So, if they get stuck at work and forget that their favorite sci-fi show is recording at home, it’s easy for fans to end up spoiled by one 140-character tweet.
The standard Internet courtesy, practiced with some diligence on message boards and fan sites, of warning other fans when one is about to post a spoiler with a “spoiler alert” didn’t make the transition to social media. It’s as if there is an expectation that if something is airing on television, every person on a social media site is watching it live.
Interactivity
A large part of the social media/live TV relationship is based in discussion, but social media has also made live TV more interactive. Viewers can vote for the next American Idol or America’s Next Top Model on each show’s website. In the fourth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, which aired January-April 2012, host RuPaul held the announcement of the winner and invited viewers to weigh in on Twitter with their thoughts on who deserved the title of “Next Drag Superstar.”
Social networks aren’t going anywhere for some time. In fact, both Twitter and Facebook doubled their numbers of active users between 2010 and 2012. As social media continues to serve as a major part of modern life, live television and social media are sure to become even more interconnected; probably in some ways we haven’t even imagined yet.
All in all…
Basically, I think social media is cool. You can use it to practice your debating skills or just gain more perspective. The interaction we see with live television almost makes it more real! What do you think?
Photo Credit
Microsoft Office Clipart Collection
Guest Author Bio
Hannah N.
Hannah is a 22 year old Western Washington University graduate, specializing in technology, adventure, and all things marketing. She is a writer for FiOS TV and loves exploring the newest social media sites to find the best possibilities for customer interaction. Follow her on twitter at @hongryhannah, and thanks for reading!
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