I just got back from a meeting with a fellow advisor and consultant to both traditional media and digital media companies here in Los Angeles. One of the topics that came up as we talked about collaborating on projects was YouTube and Google+ apps integration alongside a deeper discussion of bringing Agile processes and tools to traditional Media companies which also have digital products and services alongside their traditional media products.
YouTube was acquired by Google in 2006 and not much seems to have changed on the user experience side is our concern. YouTube still has very limited post-production tools and there is a limited and only awkward integration of other Google+ applications like Google hangouts in YouTube. For those of you live streaming shows you still need to go to a completely different app and Google+ page to also create a google hangout which then by the way does not get automatically integrated into the YouTube Channel and specific show that is being streamed live on YouTube. I talked about the experience itself in a YouTube daily coach and consultant episode which can be viewed here:
There were companies like Airtime that failed as a start-up that tried to integrate live chats with video streaming. If successful they would have been a perfect opportunity for Google. Other companies like WeVideo are producing platforms that allow viewers to upload content and stay organized. But Google seems to be somewhat content with just handling issues by specific customer demand instead of coming up with an integrated solution for all.
This leads to me to looking at a specific example of a YouTube channel that originally was just advertised as an experiment and a lab for a daytime talk show by the host herself Meredith Vieira.
The YouTube channel "Lives with Meredith" promises a sense of community for women age 25-54 which is slightly narrower than what the Producers are probably striving for on the to be widely televised daytime talk show that sold in over 60% of the U.S. television markets and households.
There are various components which are introduced in an introductory video by Meredith herself with no mention of a TV show she is developing for next summer. The striving for a sense of community is highlighted with the mention of "real talk by real women" and "overshare" and "instant response team". The channel itself advertises twice a week shows with Mondays being 5-10 min. shows focused on a person of interest or topic like transgender women while the Thursday google hangouts are used to give the instant response team various topics up for discussion in live streaming and commenting by users who are watching the Google+hangouts amongst women on the Instant response team.
First of all let me comment on the Monday show. The topics are interesting and the women presented are talking freely about what they are experiencing. Topics are original and thought-provoking although because of the focus on marginal groups and topics one has to wonder how many viewers are truly interested in finding out more about Kimberly Ray Miller and growing up in a family of hoarders. Kimberly's video on "The Squatter" has only 21 views (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y3UpZ2-pXc) as part of the "overshare" series while the channel itself and the actual Kimberly Ray Miller video on her growing up has over 20,000 views (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejkG3aT1S6I&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PL38BovwdtPhGG2BV6PvKkOrdTvD9EIVjJ).
These numbers do not translate well when compared to television AND other popular YouTube content and shows that get numbers in the millions.
It is unclear what Meredith Vieira and Iconic TV who is behind the Lives with Meredith YouTube channel and produces it, are looking for. Are they just thinking of this as a lab and experiment to try new show content and help develop the Meredith Vieira talk show or are they also trying to get a feel of if it is possible to produce TV shows and associated YouTube and Google+content in synchronicity. In either case it is smart for them to build the viewer base and buzz as YouTube gets bigger although some might claim the low viewer numbers and specific content that caters to women only and minority-focused groups and causes can also hurt Meredith Vieira's reputation. But it would also help to understand more clearly what the focus is over time so viewers are not in the dark as to where this channel goes and what is to be expected. The "sense of community" aspect of the show is not clear at all yet and there is no opportunity to feel connected to Meredith or other subscribers yet which makes this channel and content come across as stuck in TV 1.0 land versus Web 2.0 and 3.0 that YouTube makes possible.
My take is that it can help if Meredith is actually making it clear that she stands not only behind it but also drives all content and episodes and simply appears more often while not hiding behind the very obvious veil of TV 1.0. Viewer numbers for her special "Pet Hangout" this Monday are not disclosed but the comments section shows that only about a dozen viewers chose to interact and comment or ask questions while the show was streamed live. I participated just like I participated in the "instant response team" weekly hangouts to observe how viewers are utilizing hangouts to interact with live streaming content. It is part of an applied social psychology research study I am currently developing as part of an organizational psychology Ph.D. program seminar where all my work is focused on media and organizations in the digital age.
The observations make my point I noted very clear: TV 1.0 seems to meet Web 2.0. Meredith seems very focused on doing her usual interview style shows but a little uneasy while communicating interactively with the audience and with interviewing those who joined live via YouTube and a hangout. That is not surprising as live feeds can drop but that also happens on TV to this day whether you are watching an interview on NBC's "Today show" or CNN live programming for example. This Monday little Jasper almost did not make it on the live stream but the feed was quickly fixed and he even joined Meredith live:
My first thought when I watched her intro video this July for Lives with Meredith was that she is going to have Google hangouts with a select number of viewers or subscribers to her YouTube channel. She even mentioned pajama parties and intimate conversations. But none of that has been offered yet. Instead we have the opportunity to watch a well-produced show with clear definitions of format and content as defined by traditional television which I named for this purpose TV 1.0. The only user-generated aspect seems associated with a comments section and if a user gets lucky their question (but not comment) gets picked and Meredith asks a guest on the show to answer it. Not very interactive and certainly not like a hangout as advertised where the viewers themselves become part of the show.
There is of course the problem with controlling content and viewers and one way of overcoming that if there were to be a google hangout is to allow 1. a limited number of viewers, 2. select a topic and make it clear that the topic is all that would need to be discussed, and 3. moderate AND monitor viewers consistently. Community psychology as a sub-specialty under applied social psychology addresses issues around creating communities and allowing for social interaction and it might be worth looking at studies that suggest what it means to create successful communities which can inspire social change and action and in my opinion also create a sense for and positive standard of media and social responsibility.
The risks of online content that seems unmoderated in user-generated formats are not higher than on a live TV show really where for example a viewer's feed can be cut if the talk cannot be controlled instantly. TV 1.0 means however that those who like to be the start on TV and want to control while promoting themselves and their shows have to give up that spot on the stage temporarily and step down to be with the crowd. That is really what caused viewers and regular people to be successful on YouTube in the first place which is a great example of Web 3.0 where everyone can own their own media company and be their own brand while monetizing with an infinite number of viewers as they broadcast as their own network. How do celebrities and TV show hosts and journalists like Meredith Vieira fit into this successful model and what can they do to not loose their TV 1.0 personality and take away from their brand while building momentum in the digital space using Web 2.0 and even 3.0 features?
Media companies increasingly hire digital media strategists to help produce this type of content and create valuable and valued user experiences that sync up and support TV and digital content. Companies like Iconic TV provide valuable production services associated with the strategy services they provide which is smart and their focus on YouTube demonstrates the shifts that occur as TV and also film are moving into Web 2.0 and 3.0. But have we all figured it out? We are on our way but it is all highly experimental which makes it interesting is my observation also after attending the Digital Hollywood conference last week here in Los Angeles where I heard TV network, major studio and internet companies execs all complain and philosophize about how to monetize on YouTube. The question everyone asked was: if you know someone or a company that can help us figure this out we want to want to talk to them. Where are they?
Well, maybe the trick is not to worry about monetizing in the traditional way but simply look at it as all integrated and complimentary in nature. I personally also unlike many of the male-dominant companies believe in not just employing technology for the purpose of technology but to help instead creating meaningful and entertaining content. FOCUS ON STORY TELLING AND CONTENT!
With the Nielsen ratings now including web and mobile viewership it is only a matter of time where a TV show is reviewed as a digital set of integrated show formats which all compliment each other. So the focus should be on using YouTube for what it is worth which is promoting traditional media CONTENT. But it should also be complimentary in nature and any successful show and channel needs to take advantage of all that YouTube and google+ applications including hangouts have to offer. That is going to set them apart from the rest who just experiment.
For Meredith and team this means that the experimenting can continue but here are a few suggestions:
1. More Meredith! Have more of Meredith and maybe weekly on the show as she sells and people want to watch her and not Francesca and team every week which is reflected in the number of viewers on both overshare videos and instant response hangouts. The reason why Ellen DeGeneres is in the Top 10 of YouTube most viewed is because she is actually in the videos with over 7 Million subscribers to just her main channel.
2. Get personal! Have hangouts with viewers. The pet show would have been a perfect opportunity for sense of community and getting personal. The guests on the show and the interviews very informative but it could have been shorter and timed at 30 min. for example while an additional 30 min. could have been a life pet costume contest with viewers showing off their pets and costumes while being interviewed by Meredith. Meredith rushed through printouts of pics of pets and no costumes were picked as the winners on the show. Remember YouTube is a people-powered medium aka Web 3.0 with regular people being a personal brand who can help the Meredith channel.
3. Have focus groups! Creating a team that acts like a quasi focus group that gets together in a hangout and then essentially proposes features and content is also very valuable. Right now the Twitter feed for the Lives with Meredith channel asks viewers for new topics for the IRT hangout each week but why not have a team that helps with user-generated content? I would pick a diverse group of women in different age ranges with some more familiar than others with digital media. Let the user group speak up and help produce content that you are asking for anyway via Twitter feeds.
4. Blog away! I know that Meredith seems to feel uneasy with the use of computers (not kidding, right?) and apparently digital media and technology but she is learning. Let her blog about it as her insights are invaluable to the show and will I am convinced make it clear that she is very capable of using digital media. Her fresh take will also make it easier for viewers to connect with her who are not "digital natives" meaning the generation of people born in the 1960s or earlier who have to learn the use of computer and social media as adults later in life. It would be wise however to not downplay her actual insight but make it clear that she comes from traditional media. Every time a woman speaks up on TV or in public forums how she is challenged by technology is not helping us women who fight with the stigma of women not being as technical as men when we really are. It makes me honestly crinch when I hear Meredith state how she does not know how to switch on a computer. Oh no, you know and you know so much more. Probably more than the guy who runs a major TV network but since he is a guy he gets away with not knowing much.
5. Do not do it alone on your channel! Let the user give feedback and post videos on a YouTube Channel that can be listing topics that users can contribute to. For example, for the instant response team aka IRT post the topic a day or two early and allow users to comment with videos. Those can be curated and then placed even in a contest-style format as a TOP 10 of Viewer generated content talking about the topic of the week. You might get the help of a new YouTube star generate buzz for your channel with millions of viewers who convert into Lives subscribers. Ha, and you did little to help but let the audience help you. Can't beat that concept as the users in Web 3.0 style are their own brand and network.
6. Work with Google and help them create an optimized user interface for your YouTube channel! I happen to mentor the woman who helps at Google with the Lives with Meredith channel. Talk to her and the team and hire user experience strategists and digital media strategists to optimize the user experience for you. Have Meredith herself give you feedback and what she would like to have the screen look like when she is hosting a hangout. I would have her draw on a whiteboard what she would like the ideal YouTube channel page to look like. I found that as a strategist aside from creating personas and use case scenarios the most valuable input I can give is a compilation of and conversion of user-generated feedback that usually leads to optimized user experiences and formats that are creative and ingenious at times as the users know best!
I could go on about other strategies for the show and will be happy to share if Iconic TV wants to talk. This is not an industry white paper based on my usual research but I wanted to openly share just some concepts and sincerely hope you find them useful.
It all boils down to allowing for more user-generated content, more of Meredith as the brand, and optimized user experiences of YouTube and google applications that can also be integrated into next year's day time talk show. Nobody else is using the power of YouTube in that fashion yet and the Nielsen ratings as online and mobile viewers are soon to be included are guaranteed to go through the roof and help keep a show alive that is worth viewing. Who cares who is watching on TV is what we will all ask in a couple of years and who cares if Katie still has a show as she does not utilize Web 2.0 and leads TV 1.0 to TV 2.0.
Since your target demographic for the Lives YouTube Channel is primarily women you might also find this info useful: http://www.scoop.it/t/psychology-of-media-emerging-technologies/p/4010172316/women-outrank-men-in-social-media-savvy-and-connectedness
- Patricia Anglano
Digital Media Producer and Strategist, Agile Media Coach and Consultant
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