Social TV

MySpace, Intel and Yahoo are partnering to let users interact with Myspace via their TV sets.

Access to MySpace will be available through a new Widget Channel, co-developed by Intel and Yahoo.
The aim of the Widget Channel is to develop mini-applications that can complement TV viewing with information from the Internet.

MySpace users will be able to communicate with friends, read and reply to messages, receive friend requests, publish status and mood updates, see updates from friends and browse profiles and photos on their TVs while watching shows.

The MySpace Widget is being introduced in conjunction with Toshiba, which is promoting a new line of TVs powered by Intel chips that are designed to connect to the Internet.

TV 2.0, or social TV, is the next step on the road to full convergence, where the oft-quoted vision is for content to be accessed from every screen, whether fixed or mobile.

Social networks have been quick to incorporate video into their communities. Now the TV industry is now keen to see if it can build community around its content - so what does this mean for the future of TV viewing? Can it revive lagging numbers by encouraging TV 'participation'?

The other point to consider is that coupling social network profile data with TV content delivers personalised media access which should prove a boon to advertisers, who can tap into defined niche communities and deliver tailored brand experiences......

It's exciting stuff!