back to article Nielsen-Twitter axis, Facebook to brief TV lords on what online gobshites think of telly

Facebook has started reporting the chatter behind TV shows to the networks broadcasting them as it searches for new ways to monetise its free content ad network. The reports, which the Wall Street Journal tells us will be sent to the networks weekly, tell the broadcasters how many times each show was mentioned in both private …

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  1. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge
    FAIL

    Did they ask about...

    The god awful adverts that appear just as you are getting interesting the the plot/story?

    No, I don't want a loan at 1725% per year nor do I want to sue someone for an accident I've never had.

    1. Crisp
      Coat

      Re: Did they ask about...

      Do you have any Payment Protection Insurance?

      Ok ok, I'll get my coat...

    2. Brenda McViking

      Re: Did they ask about...

      Simple solution - Leave cables lying around in your house and trip over them in your rush to call them, then explain that it is their fault you broke your leg in 3 places whilst rushing to the phone after following their simple instruction to "call now, don't delay" and tell them you'd like to sue them.

      Back to the article - just trawling facebook for "likes" ain't going to work unless facebook put the long awaited "dislike" button in there as standard.Otherwise these TV types with their overinflated egos are not going to realise just how rubbish their programmes really are. Not to mention that anyone trawling private conversations to see what was said for profit is just completely unnacceptable... oh, they've been doing it for years? Why do people still use facebook again? And more to the point, who still watches advert riddled TV when ad-free on demand exists?

  2. JimmyPage Silver badge
    Meh

    However, my TiVo

    also has a "like" AND "dislike" functionality. The idea being you can "train" it, so it can record "suggestions". Programmes it thinks you might like.

    So Virgin Media already had a scoop on what *it's* punters do and don't like. And given the "dislike" feature, it's probably more valuable to TV execs than FBs rather late entry to the party.

  3. Atonnis

    This terrifies me...

    Considering how much of the modern reality-TV system works - an unsupported circle - this could really mean the worst era of dreadful television is on the way.

    X-Factor is an example. By taking up so much TV space and time, and releasing magazines about the TV show, and having their 'celebs' steadily pushed into every magazine they can, and then making so much of the chatter on the airwaves about their own program, they essentially sell themselves.

    Now imagine dozens, nay hundreds, of carefully employed people all making 95% of the chatter on Facebook about their own show and company...and thus that show gets more advertising revenue and thus spends it on making itself more known....brr...

    1. rcorrect
      Mushroom

      Re: This terrifies me...

      This is why I went back to not watching TV about 8 months ago. It was nothing but crap and advertisements. The History Channel used to be about history, I miss those days. Don't get me started about Court TV reinventing itself as TruTV. Oh well, at least I can read FOX News online for all my Tea Party related news. At least it's totally fair and balanced. m!m

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: This terrifies me...

        Well said Sir. I do the same. I pretty well only watch stuff I've recorded. At least I can skip those adverts on my Humax PVR.

        The PVR 'sees' the Adverts when it is broadcast so I guess they reach into my home which is what the Advertisers want. The fact that I don't actually see them is to my mind not important.

        Oh, and the 'X' factor is a total POS.

  4. Aristotles slow and dimwitted horse

    OK, so...

    @ Brenda McViking - "who still watches advert riddled TV when ad-free on demand exists?"

    I only have OD access to iPlayer and 4OD - and 4OD is definately not ad free. To me it is even more full of ads, which you can't skip either.

    @ Atonnis - "Now imagine dozens, nay hundreds, of carefully employed people all making 95% of the chatter on Facebook about their own show and company...and thus that show gets more advertising revenue and thus spends it on making itself more known....brr..."

    Yes - but the upside of that is that it will probably spell the beginning of the end for FB as its users get more and more fed up with ads and spiel and move onto a new platform (one can hope).

  5. Chris Miller

    "Facebook has started reporting the chatter behind TV shows to the networks broadcasting them as it searches for new ways to monetise its free content content free ad network."

    FTFY

  6. JimmyPage Silver badge

    Perhaps there's a sense that TV

    is changing. We no longer have "shows". We have "products" of which only a small proportion is the actual airtime of the TV element. We then have "exclusive online content". Plus media tie-ins with "Hello", "OK !", "Take a Break", and even the "Radio Times" printing "stories" from the show. Then you have the official FB pages, and Twitter feeds - cunningly balanced with the official "unofficial" FB pages and Twitter feeds. All of this hot air generates enough media energy it becomes a self-sustaining reaction with other non-affiliated media sources having to report on the "news" that is the product.

    X-Factor

    Britains Got Talent

    Call the Midwife

    Dancing on Ice

    Strictly Come Dancing

    TOWIE

    Geordie Shore

    Doc Martin

    plus the regular soaps. "Corrie", Eastenders, Emmerdale ...

  7. Wanda Lust

    The kids

    But the kids all watch YouTube, wtf, omg, lol!

    TV's so old skool, K?

  8. DropBear
    Devil

    Oh really?

    "The self-important few who graciously take the time to share their opinions with the world could easily be taken to represent the majority and dictate the future of TV – which is, frankly, something of a terrifying thought." - right, which would be soooooooo much worse than the current pandering to the lowest common denominator all media seems to doing currently, exactly how, again...? Not that it would be better either, mind you...

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