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Everyone is watching to see what happens next after the merger of Nielsen and Social Guide.  Nielsen tracks the ratings of television shows and... Nielsen and Social Guide – The Future of Social TV?

Everyone is watching to see what happens next after the merger of Nielsen and Social Guide.  Nielsen tracks the ratings of television shows and Social Guide measures the fan buzz surrounding the TV shows.

Nielson and Social Guide: Where is the Future of Social TV?

What Does the Mean for TV?

What we would like it to mean is that Nielsen will take into account the buzz surrounding a show when calculating the ratings.  However, that isn’t necessarily going to happen because other metrics are also fighting for attention.

It does mean that Social Guide is going to have the opportunity to become something more than it is now.  Founder Sean Casey is excited about the merger, knowing it will give him more time to focus on what Social Guide has to offer.

Nielsen is also thrilled to get Casey and his company.  What they liked about Social Guide is the fact that it is dedicated to measurements and accuracy.  However, all of the competitors are thrilled with the merger because they feel that it validates what they do.  It demonstrates the importance of using social measurements for television.

Another Clear Winner

Twitter is another winner in this merger and so is Facebook for that matter.  It validates both social media sites and their relevance to what is happening on TV.  If Facebook would provide data to tell which TV shows are being talked about, it could change the way companies rate the shows.

Studies indicate that people follow shows more closely when they see other people talking about them.  They may not even be tweeters themselves, but they enjoy reading about what other people think.  It makes TV more interactive.

While it’s still not clear what the merger means to the future of television and may not for some time, we do know that it will have an effect on what we watch and how we watch it.

 

[Image via thedigitalraindance & forbes]