What are You Watching?

There is now an iPhone/iPad app that can identify what you're watching on TV.

Much like similar apps that can tell a user the song title and artist when he or she holds up the device to the speaker, IntoNow is designed to identify the exact episode of whatever television program a viewer is currently watching.

What I find the most interesting about the app is that it is marketed as a social tool. Once the show you are watching is identified, you can then share that information on Facebook and Twitter, as well as see what your friends are watching and what favorite shows you have in common. It'll even alert you if one of your friends is watching the show at the same time.

I think this another indication that television is becoming more interactive. Viewers are encouraged to engage with each other during the program in real time through apps like this and social media such as Twitter. I often watch some of my favorite programs, such as White Collar, The Office, and Merlin, while play-by-playing my reactions on Twitter during commercial breaks. Watching television need not be an isolated event, but rather another opportunity to socialize with others who are watching.

I also think technology like this could affect ratings. If this type of technology was widespread enough, it could give networks a clearer indication of who and how big their audience is, perhaps more accurately than the (in my opinion) outdated Nielsen ratings.

Lastly, I think this technology aids in the "branding" of television shows. It brings attention to other people what we're watching, and that in itself is another way of marketing it. What better way to advertise to potential viewers than through people they know who are already watching it?