Q the Music is FremantleMedia's new interactive music quiz format that premiered to a million viewers in Sweden on national broadcaster SVT. The format will be officially launched at MIPCOM this week.
The Monterosa play-along game supports live and on-demand play, and can be embedded in broadcaster's existing apps
Contestants and celebs compete to prove their musical knowledge in the high-tech studio, while the audience at home play on their phones in sync with the show. Although pre-recorded, live audience leaderboards are cut into the show as it's transmitted, creating a feeling of live. The app even works for on-demand viewers, using audio recognition technology for synchronicity.
The real-time interactive experience is provided by Monterosa, embedded within SVT's new channel app and now offered to international broadcasters either as a standalone smartphone/tablet app or an embedded module for existing broadcaster VOD apps.
With Q the Music's impressive audience figures and an increasingly loyal mobile audience (participation numbers went up every episode in the series), could this signal post-hype growth of interactive TV formats?
One might argue that interactivity never went away; prime-time talent and reality shows such as Got Talent, X Factor and Big Brother now involve audiences more than ever through social media, web or apps. A global shift away from SMS or telephone voting towards free mobile voting has proven successful for commercial broadcasters such as ITV in the UK and NBC in the US, who engage brand partners to add value for fans by providing free voting.
Global production companies Talpa, Endemol and Banijay all have major interactive formats on their rosters and increasingly developing 'connected' TV ideas.
In a world where commercial broadcasters are competing harder than ever for media and sponsorship budgets, advertiser demand for innovative fan engagement ideas is high. Both producers and broadcasters benefit directly from driving audiences to register or install apps, providing a one-to-one communication channel for targeted marketing and insight generation.
While interactivity and TV have had their ups and downs creatively, the evidence points to continued audience and advertiser demand. All that's needed now are more bold creative ideas that integrate interactivity into the show format directly, engaging audiences during and after transmission across devices and platforms.
Get in touch with David Julliene at MIPCOM to find out more about Monterosa's fan interaction platform and products.
Phone David: +33 6 03 01 41 91
Email: david@monterosa.co.uk
