The Mobile Content Venture (MCV) consortium is betting big on the Dyle branding this year, the logo that will ensure customers can receive over-the-air broadcasts on their mobile TV devices. But will Dyle be helped by a separate social network now being developed?
The members of the Pearl group of broadcasters, which include more than 200 TV stations all over the country, are gearing up to launch ConnecTV, a social network platform that unifies and connects consumers and content, as well as the Dyle brand. Pearl has a reach of more than 75 million households blanketing 45 of the top 50 U.S. markets.
Pearl was created in 2010 and is a member of a national joint venture with NBC Universal, FOX and many other stations as part of the MCV to develop a business deployment plan for mobile DTV. Numerous TV stations across the country are already live with mobile DTV signals, but the key with consumers will be the Dyle branded service. MCV has targeted later this year for the big launch.
ConnecTV is a social media platform that works via a downloadable plug-in, and works across all live and time-shifted channels. It syncs the content between the user’s mobile device, PC, laptop or iPad. ConnecTV uses content recognition algorithms and closed caption as well as more than 100 data sources to synchronize the social network with TV programming. It also integrates with Twitter and Facebook, and provides program-related information that is shared among viewers who can also organize large group chats as well as viewing parties.
Social network platforms provide engagement and are proven to be sticky, prompting the participant to revisit on a constant basis. Dyle could use this kind of engagement, and ConnecTV may very well provide the back end that the initiative needs to keep consumers in the loop and constantly involved. The network itself could also drive the brand, much the way the Twitter or Facebook brands lead with name recognition.
While it could be a stretch for a demographic to seek out the Dyle brand to jump into the social network all their friends are in, it is certainly what the MCV is hoping for. Building a social network to help along the Dyle branding is certainly a smart move, and while many may be weary of having to join yet another social media network, Dyle can only benefit from this unification and consistency as it launches its roll-out in a few more months.
