Television with its capability to cater to all kinds of audiences is an element of each one of our lives. Watching TV is effortless entertainment because of which we tend to use our phones, tablets, laptops. These screens that divert our attention are slated to become an industry in itself called the ‘Second Screen Industry’.

You are wondering how? Out of boredom you want to watch TV; you will have to flip through channels to see what is on and watch it for a while to decide if it interests you. There is a better alternative; a mobile app that tells you what is on and what is popular and what you might like. Furthermore it can provide you a parallel experience with celebrity tweets, gossip, show teasers, etc. based on what you are watching and your profile. You'd like some company when watching a sports event and could instantly invite your friends to watch and chat with you and start a virtual TV meetup.  ‘Where is the remote control?’ is an often asked question but the same app also acts like a convenient remote. These are just a few of the infinite possibilities.

Now let’s talk about the commercial aspect of it. Indian Idol asks you to vote for the contestants and Maggi wants you to share your ‘Meri Maggi story’. Do you know why? It’s because they want the audience / customers to interact with them and build top of the mind recall. Second screen completes the loop by being the medium for that interaction. Broadcasting networks can use it to improve viewer experience while brands get an effective means to engage with a relevant target audience. Besides creating engagement, it also gathers data about how the audience perceives TV, which can be further used for informed decisions regarding content creation and placement.

Quoting Shakespeare, “we know what we are but not what we may be” and watching TV is going to change in ways not imaginable right now. This is just the beginning of a media revolution and it’s not long before it changes the way we consume and interact with media. Only question that remains is, “Is the world ready to adapt such a transformation?”, because here at ZAPR we are ready to bring it.

- Swati Choudhary