nd Screen Summit: Companion Experiences Still in the Awkward Teenage Years

New York -- While the amount of second-screen experiences has seen growth in recent years, there is still a long way to go.

Were in the awkward teenage years of second-screen and companion experiences, said Scott Levine, senior VP, video product for Univision Interactive, during the 2nd Screen & Live Sports panel at Thursdays 2nd Screen Summit at Chelsea Clearview Cinemas. Theres still a lot of discovery and experimentation going on.

Levine said that because of the vast array of sporting events, second-screen experiences are more of a case-by-case thing. I dont think its one-size-fits-all and I dont even think its 30-sizes-fits-all, he said. Were going to have to try to find the right experience to the right type of environment for the right type of event for the right type of person.

Patty Hirsch, VP and GM, CBS Interactive Advanced Media, argued that its more about the content than the platform. Our strategy, especially on the sports side, is built around not thinking about the different platforms but thinking about certain content and where its going to go. She also maintained that companion viewing is critical to CBS Interactive.

The panel agreed that a major drive for second-screen experiences is the social element, especially with Twitter being known as an online sports bar.

Christy King, VP, digital, technology R&D, UFC, says the MMA outfit has a leg up due to its chief executive Dana White, who she called the worlds loudest person on Twitter. He was online and doing that before most of anybody on staff was, including our PR department.

So it comes as no surprise that the social-media element is a big part of what the UFC does. We have built social experiences into basically everything weve ever built, she said. There are always Twitter feeds, Facebook feeds and Vine connections.

Hirsch said that social media was a big part of CBS second-screen Super Bowl offering, which was buoyed by the infamous blackout at New Orleans Superdome. Social was a key component, said Hirsch. Especially because of the anomaly that happened with the blackout, it was a hugely successful social event.

Aside from blackouts, the panel agreed that the infrastructure at sporting venues still has a long way to go, with thousands of fans struggling to get their iPhone and Android apps working at the same time.

King, who said the UFC is releasing a new fan experience app, said they have built in capability to turn off certain features depending on where the user is. We know they cant consume this kind of video or this kind of game [in certain venues], so we just turn it off. She said the UFC has a tougher time than regular sports leagues because the UFC stages events all around the world, sometimes in third-world countries.

Its an ongoing problem, but its getting better every single day, said Hirsch.

LINK:	http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/494287-2nd_Screen_Summit_Comp...
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