Is the way we consume television finally about to undergo a dramatic shift?

If the ‘second screen’ focus of IBC, the television industry’s annual tech fest which took place earlier this month is anything to go by, it may well be .

Over the past few months, companies in all parts of the TV value chain seem to have stepped up their activities in exploring how to exploit the use of companion screens to deliver enhanced content to people watching television.

Second screens could be a much more powerful catalyst to change than other television innovations such as red button, DVRs and video on demand which were supposed to have killed linear channels, but so far haven’t (even in Sky+ and Freeview+ homes, only 14% of viewing is time shifted).

Second screens are applications (or devices) that sit in your hand and display content that’s contextual or synchronised with what you are watching on the main screen. (There’s a fuller definition in a BBC blog here

To date most second screen activities have gone no further than harnessing activity on Twitter as people comment on programmes while they are on air. Now companies are looking at much more integrated offerings. In the past few months, among many other developments, Disney has launched its Second Screen  synchronised DVD extras app; the NBA has launched the Game Time app for use while watching basketball; Yahoo paid $20 million for Into Now an app which shares what you are watching with friends; and Time Warner went to court to claim the right to allow its subscribers to view content on multiple devices.

One reason why second screen approaches could really begin to change mainstream TV usage is that unlike previous innovations it isn’t straining against ingrained behaviours.

Part of the reason for the slow pace of change to date is that old habits die hard: the vast majority of people flop down in front of the telly most evenings and watch their favourite programmes on their usual channels.

Part of it is social: the vast majority of televisions are watched by more than one person, so one person interacting with the telly is pretty annoying for the others.

And part of it is physiological: when you are ‘leaning back’ watching telly on the sofa your brain falls into a state which is akin to a semi-coma. This is what makes television such a powerful medium as the brain is very receptive to messages in this state; but it’s hard to have any meaningful interaction when you’re in that position.

So, fighting habit, behaviour and physiology, it’s hardly surprising that change is a long time coming.

Second screen approaches are interesting because, rather than straining against habit, behaviour and physiology, they work with them. You’re still watching your favourite programmes; you’ll have your own second screen, so won’t need to interfere with others’ enjoyment; and, perhaps most fundamentally, because the devices sit in your hand or on your lap, you can stay leaning back shifting your attention between the two screens – the offer adapts to your physiology rather than forcing you to sit up.

The commercial potential is enormous too. With a second screen comes the possibility of individually addressable commercials. Pepsi has already trialled offering a coupon for a free drink for people who check-in via Into Now. And the ability to push viewers towards an ecommerce website with a single touch on the second screen without them having to stop watching opens up huge new potential for direct response television.

What is by no means clear is who will own the new relationship with viewers. With content creators, service providers, consumer electronics manufactures and a host of social and internet companies jostling for position we’re in for some fascinating strategic battles.

Image with thanks to Phillie Casablanca