Television has always been a social experience and yet Social TV is the big trend when it comes to the future of television. Smartphones, tablet computers and notebooks are increasingly taking over the function of interactive, Internet-connected TV companions, with the once passive couch potatoes now exchanges and communicates far beyond the confines of your own living room – before, during and after the broadcast on television.
Studies show that in Germany almost half of all internet users online on a second device while watching TV – to check email, search for additional information about TV shows, or to bridge commercial breaks . The attention to television on the “Big Screen” continues to fade. That has yet unforeseeable consequences for television producers and advertisers, but also opens up completely new opportunities in the communication with the audience.
Experts from Germany and Austria discussed the potential and challenges of increased grip to the second screen for TV producers, advertising, entertainment, and audience.

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Integrate the audience, learn from the audience
Television companies react rather sluggishly to this new development, which is not a replacement for, but a complement to linear TV. Nevertheless, this year in late spring, the Bavarian Broadcasting Company (Bayerischer Rundfunk) has taken the initiative and launched the most comprehensive experiment: The “Round Show” involves videos of viewers and brought viewers from the living room to the screen on Google Hangout. With a specially programmed application with the programmatic name of “The Power” (“Die Macht”), the audience had the opportunity to vote on issues, even a say in the selection of topics for the program. Richard Gutjahr, television journalist and blogger was the mastermind of this attempt to enter new dimensions for television. He reported at the 9th Salzburg Media Day on the experience of the “Round Show”.

How seriously the Second Screen is now being addressed, shows the initiative of a large producer for television: he praises the renowned New York Television Festival this year for the first time one handsome prize for productions that integrate the second screen as an essential ingredient in their short films.

The 9th Salzburg Media Day
The Salzburg Media Day (on 14  September 14th, 2012) was once again organized by the “Platform Digital Salzburg”, which is a joint project of the University of Salzburg, Salzburg University of Applied Sciences,  and  Salzburg Research. The goal of the association is to bring together the research expertise in digital, interactive television. Two research projects on the acceptance of interactive television were carried out with  support of the State of Salzburg and the European Union so far.
Partners of the Salzburg media tags are the ITG Salzburg, CableLink communications expert Salzburg AG and the RTR radio and telecom regulation society.