Social TV: Building Virtual Communities to Enhance the Digital Interactive Television Viewing Experience

Abstract

Until recently, television viewing was perceived as a passive experience that aimed in satisfying a person’s or a group’s need for entertainment, information and, in some cases, education. However, the development of Interactive Digital Television (iDTV) and the significant change of society’s expectations due to the appearance of the World Wide Web brought new dynamics on the medium. To that end, nowadays, iDTV adopts a more social role (Social TV) in order to satisfy the individuals’ request for active participation, communication and (virtual) community formulation. This chapter aims at describing the characteristics of Social TV, while providing information about its systems and business applications. Similarly, the present study attempts to explain if and how Social TV can become a new setting for virtual communities and what are the potential implications for its viewers.