Beenius presents a new white paper – The Second Screen: A growing phenomenon in the multimedia industry. This white paper presents market facts and second screen business opportunities to TV operators.

1. The Second Screen
A growing phenomenon
in the multimedia industry
WHITE PAPER

2. 1. Introduction
3
2. Statistics
4
3. The Beginnings of Social TV
6
4. TV and Social Media
Twitter
Facebook
7
7
9
5. Applications and Examples
11
6. Predictions for the Future
13
References
14
Abbreviations
EPG Electronic program guide
GUI Graphical user interface
IPTV Internet protocol television
PVR Personal video recording
STB Set-top box
SVG Scaled vector technology
VOD Video on demand
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The Second Screen: A growing phenomenon in the multimedia industry
Beenius ©

3. > 1.
Introduction
The term »Second Screen« also referred to as a »Companion Device«, is
a relatively new but growing phenomenon in the multimedia industry. It refers
to an additional electronic device such as a smartphone or tablet which
enables users to interact with TV content (e.g. reality/talk shows, movies, live
sports, commercials). Data displayed on the TV is also enriched by additional
information which is simultaneously shown on the second screen.
Second screen functionality is supported by several interconnected devices
and applications which are seamlessly delivered across all screens. As a result,
the way in which content is produced has changed and new services and
applications keep being developed, but above all, second screen has become
an important advertising channel [1].
Let us look at the facts. Due to the booming use of the internet during the past
few years the decline of TV seemed inevitable but according to a study by
Nielsen Audience Measurement company we are now watching more TV than
ever, in spite of the rise of both online and mobile video viewing [2].
According to Mike Proulx, the coauthor of the book Social TV: How Marketers
Can Reach and Engage Audiences by Connecting Television to the Web, Social
Media, and Mobile “The internet isn’t killing off TV – instead it’s enhancing it” [2].
Figure 1:
Second screen
devices
3
The Second Screen: A growing phenomenon in the multimedia industry
Beenius ©

4. > 2.
Statistics
Several studies have shown that the use of smart phones and tablets is
increased during TV sessions. According to Nielsen’s rating studies, users post
more comments on social networks while watching TV. The statistics reveals
that tablets and smart phones are the most frequently used devices in front of
TV (the yellow columns in the first and the last graph in the figure below) [3].
100%
Figure 2:
Simultaneous use
of TV and second
device [3]
50%
Source:
Q1 2011 Mobile
Connected Device
Report
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0%
The Second Screen: A growing phenomenon in the multimedia industry
Beenius ©

5. According to a study by Google consumers are becoming “multi-screeners”
by using computers, TVs, smart phones or tablets, depending on the location,
the amount of time available and the contents being watched. “The attention is
split between several devices, while users are performing distinct activities on
each of them. This multitasking gives a feeling of a greater efficiency and “found
time” [4].
81%
66%
66%
pt
o
Te p/P
lev C
isi &
on
La
a
La rtph
pt on
op e
/P &
C
Sm
Sm
ar
tp
Te ho
lev ne
isi &
on
Figure 3:
Multiscreen
combinations [4]
Research reveals that about 24 % of our daily media interactions occur on
PCs, keeping us productive and informed, 38% on smart phones, keeping
us connected, and 9% on tablets, keeping us entertained. There are two
main modes of multi screening – sequential usage (moving from one device
to another to accomplish a task) and simultaneous (using more devices at the
same time for one or several activities).
5
The Second Screen: A growing phenomenon in the multimedia industry
Beenius ©

6. > 3.
The Beginnings of Social TV
The use of second screen device has started by interaction between traditional
TV and social media. Sharing of TV contents on social media is also called
“Social TV”. Due to the rise of social media (e.g. social networking services
such as Twitter, Facebook and Social TV applications GetGlue, IntoNow, Miso,
Tunerfish, Zeebox etc.) the way how we watch TV has changed. Watching TV
is no longer an “offline” experience [5].
Back in 2010 MIT Technology Review ranked Social TV among 10 breakthrough
technologies of the year. According to William Bulkeley, the author of the article
10 Breakthrough Technologies [6]:
“The viewership for live television broadcasts has generally been declining
for years. But something surprising is happening: events such as the Winter
Olympics and the Grammys are drawing more viewers and more buzz. The
rebound is happening at least in part because of new viewing habits: while
people watch, they are using smart phones or laptops to swap texts, tweets,
and status updates about celebrities, characters, and even commercials.”
Marie-José Montpetit, an invited scientist at MIT’s Research Lab for Electronics,
has been researching the Social TV phenomenon for the past few years. Her
goal is to make watching TV an experience that can be shared on social media
and also to simplify content search for users. Nowadays people, devices and
networks are intertwined therefore also the contents and applications are
constantly changing. Interactions happen on many levels.
For instance one can watch a show, record only the most interesting parts and
share them on social networks. Media analytic companies, on the other hand,
can track social media comments and measure which topics are the most
attractive for certain audiences. The viewers can influence the contents in such
a way.
Montpetit and her students at the MIT Media Lab demonstrated an interesting
prototype, consisting of a central database, which gathers videos from the web
sources (e.g. YouTube), shares user-specified data on social networks, delivers
videos on user’s TV sets and let the people in the same network comment and
rate the video contents via iPhone applications. Users can also choose their
favorite programs. If someone suggests a show and another person in the
same social network agrees, the same show pops-up at the appointed time [6].
According to before mentioned Marie-José:
“Operator can make money on Social TV« (e.g. subscribe to a special service
allowing you to download an application, this brings traffic to the operator which
further implies the operator can keep the relationship with the advertisers.” [6].
6
The Second Screen: A growing phenomenon in the multimedia industry
Beenius ©

7. > 4.
TV and Social Media
Twitter
The symbiosis between traditional TV and social media is what led Twitter
to remark that social TV will “help us create innovative new ad products and
consumer experiences in the exciting intersection of Twitter and TV” [5].
In 2012 Nielsen, the Media Measurement and Analysis giant, acquired Social
Guide, a start-up company from New York that tracks Twitter and Facebook
conversations about TV. The company associates with Twitter in order to create
a social ranking of US TV programs popularity. Social Guide helps networks,
brands and agencies to measure and understand the social impact of TV. It
provides the most accurate reflection of Twitter TV activity and is the first realtime social guide for TV and Movies [5]. Real-time analysis makes social buzz
valuable for business. The technology is based on intelligent social recognition
system, which dynamically generates a series of trackers (keywords or phrases)
for TV programs in real-time. Another company that has recently joined Twitter
in order to become a part of social TV story is Bluefin Labs [5].
They claim:
“While our products have always included data from multiple social media
services, the reality is that Twitter is the platform where the overwhelming
majority – about 95% – of public real-time engagement with TV happens. So
we couldn’t be more excited to join Twitter.”
According to Technology Review, journal published by MIT “Discovering the
patterns in tweets will reshape TV, ads, and politics” [7].
The following two figures are examples of statistical data, gathered by Social
Guide. Figure 4 shows real-time data of comments on Twitter for all network
types, whereas Figure 5 shows US TV program rankings (program, type of the
program and numbers of comments, tweets and shares).
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The Second Screen: A growing phenomenon in the multimedia industry
Beenius ©

8. Figure 4:
Twitter real-time
TV audience
statistics [9]
Figure 5:
US TV program
rankings [9]
8
The Second Screen: A growing phenomenon in the multimedia industry
Beenius ©

9. Twitter
Besides Twitter another strong social TV media player is undoubtedly Facebook
by more than one billion subscribers it is expected to have a strong impact in
social TV media space in 2013. Facebook already offers a personalized TV
program guides based on the contents that user’s friends are watching and
offers video applications e.g. Open Graph which enables users to share video
based contents. According to AdAge Digital it is expected that another videoadvertisement application will be released by Facebook in the first half of 2013
[5]. A study performed by Nielsen showed that Facebook has the strongest
impact on TV viewers of all online media [5]. As shown on the left graph below
people of various age groups use different channels to discuss TV contents.
Watching TV is frequently initiated by social media as it is shown on the right
graph below.
Methods Used by US Internet Users to Talk About TV Shows/Content, by Age, Sep 2012
% of respondents
18-34
With people in the same room
71%
while I am watching
Face-to-face conversations
66%
Phone conversation
41%
Texting
47%
Updating or posting on Facebook
40%
Email
28%
Instant messaging
28%
Tweeting
21%
Social network app
25%
Blogging
19%
Check-in app
18%
Live chat on Xbox live
18%
35-49
66%
50-64 Total
62%
67%
62%
57%
62%
40%
27%
37%
25% 13% 31%
27%
14%
29%
25% 18% 25%
17%
9%
19%
18% 8% 17%
16%
5%
17%
12% 3% 13%
14%
3%
13%
11%
3%
12%
Figure 6:
a) TV content
discussions,
Note: n=828; “always” or “often”
Source: Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM), “How Chatter Matters in TV Viewing” conducted by Nielsen in Collaboration with MBI
TouchPoints and uSamp as cited by TVbytheNumbers, Dec 28, 2012
150451 / www.eMarketer.com
US Internet Users Who Started Watching a TV Program Due to Opinions Online, by Site and
Age, Sep 2012
% of respondents
Facebook
Twitter
TV show websites
Forums or discussion boards
Entertainment sites
Pinterest
reddit
Viggle
foursquare
GetGlue
IntoNow
18-34 35-49 50-64
Total
54% 48% 30% 46%
21% 12% 5% 14%
8%
12%
6%
9%
11%
8%
3%
8%
8%
9%
4%
7%
5% 3% 3% 4%
4% 1% 1% 2%
3% 2% 1% 2%
2% 1% 0% 1%
2% 1% 0% 1%
1% 1% 0% 1%
b) stimulation of
TV viewers by
Social media [8]
Note: n=828
Source: Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM), “How Chatter Matters in TV Viewing” conducted by Nielsen in Collaboration with MBI
TouchPoints and uSamp as cited by TVbytheNumbers, Dec 28, 2012
150452 / www.eMarketer.com
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The Second Screen: A growing phenomenon in the multimedia industry
Beenius ©

10. 800 Billions
400
Figure 7:
Social media
comments [7]
12
20
11
20
10
20
09
20
20
08
0
According to Technology Review magazine, published by MIT, the number of
comments on social media has been rising sharply during the past few years
[7].
Figure 8:
Visual FB status
as TV check-in
[11]
Facebook is currently testing ways to let their users share the emotions more
visually, but “watching” the user status seems a possibility of a new TV checkin feature [5], [11].
10
The Second Screen: A growing phenomenon in the multimedia industry
Beenius ©

11. > 5.
Applications and Examples
Nevertheless Social TV and commenting on social media is not the only purpose
that second screen is used for. Other applications and services keep being
developed for multi-screen usage with a goal to enhance user interactivity as
well as to enable new advertising channels [1], [9]. Let us mention just a few
possibilities of second screen services and applications.
• Automatic content identification
• Accurate synchronization with TV content
• Time-shifting
• Personal video recording (PVR)
• Interactivity (gambling, tele-voting, polls)
• Social network (rating, chatting, sharing)
• Video on Demand (VoD)
• Live content enrichment
• Engagement measurement
• Remote control
Sports broadcasters for example try to attract their audience by offering
alternative content to the main program on the second screen, such as
unseen moments, alternative information, soundtrack and characters. New
technologies offer a possibility of viewing a match from various camera angles.
Second screen apps are popular also for live events such as Giro d’Italia, where
viewers can get riders’ statistic data, biographies, news, stage, reviews and
weather info. Viewers of Boxing Fights can use their second screen devices
to vote on fights, chat or win prizes. A new feature is advertising and online
shopping of sports equipment related to the sports event being watched [1].
Disney second screen for example offers additional contents to a user by
synchronization of the movie with the viewer’s device through an audio cue, by
manual sync, or by a visual sync indicator. Synchronization enables interactive
elements such as interactive games, photo gallery, videos, behind the screen
features or animated flipbooks on the second screen supported by Flash.
Viewer can explore 3D environment by using touch-screen or a mouse [12].
Dual touch-screen apps are used for gaming consoles to display different but
related information on both screens [1].
Second screen can also be used as a remote control through a set-top box,
which enables to launch the content from the second screen to the main screen
[1].
The table below shows a few examples where second screen applications have
been successfully implemented.
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The Second Screen: A growing phenomenon in the multimedia industry
Beenius ©

12. Category Applications Examples
Sports
∙ rating information
∙
∙ various camera angles
∙ voting
∙
∙ commenting on social media
∙ Winter Olympics
∙ Grammys
Video Games
∙ console playing with
extra data and a possibility
of programming
Giro d’Italia by TV2 Denmark [3]:
rider stats, biographies, stage
reviews, weather info)
HDNet Fights (stats, voting
on fights and rounds,
chatting, prizes)
∙ Various angles, characters
TV programs
∙ live tweet and commenting
∙ Live stream applications for)
∙ unseen moments Oscars (by Disney
∙ alternative information
∙ soundtrack and characters
∙ remote control
∙ reality shows
Cartoons
∙ characters storyboard
Table 1:
Overview of
multiscreen
applications
12
∙ Disney animations
The Second Screen: A growing phenomenon in the multimedia industry
Beenius ©

13. > 6.
Applications and Examples
According to research published by Business Insider the facts why second
screen industry will ultimately succeed are as follows [10]:
• Fast usage growth: 85% of smart phone users reported
second-screen linked behavior at least once a month
• Mass acceptance isn’t even necessary: it is enough that a significant
minority of viewers develop this behavior
• Second screen isn’t really a new activity: it is just a new way
of commenting the last football match
• Second screen applications are bridges: they help to connect
the increasingly fragmented world of television media
According to an article, written by Alyssa Priden and published on Activ8Social
[7], “Second Screen is Here to Stay”.
“Last year many predicted the rise of second screen, but few foresaw how
much it would dominate the social media landscape. The biggest social media
moments of 2012 coincided with live televised events (Super Bowl, Grammys,
VMAs), proving that second screen was no passing fad. In 2013, sports brands
and teams will find new and more powerful ways to reach fans and consumers
through second screen capabilities.”
Innovations, which are expected in this field in the next few years [3]:
• New ways to supply the content in the network
• Innovations in the business cases
Connected devices and connected people create a framework for new business
cases (e.g. while watching a football match viewers can also see banners for
sport equipment and they can navigate to a sport equipment web-store).
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The Second Screen: A growing phenomenon in the multimedia industry
Beenius ©

14. >
References
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_screen#cite_note-1
[2] http://www.forbes.com/sites/dorieclark/2012/09/06/why-tv-is-going-social/
[3] http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/in-the-u-s-tablets-are-tv-
buddies-while-ereaders-make-great-bedfellows/
[4] http://www.slideshare.net/smobile/the-new-multiscreen-world-by-
google-14128722
[5]
http://thenextweb.com/facebook/2013/02/09/facebook-social-tv-checkin-
feature/
[6] http://www2.technologyreview.com/article/418541/tr10-social-tv/
[7] http://static.bluefinlabs.com/website/bluefin_mit-tech-review.pdf
[8] http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/social-television-study_b34910
[9] http://sgi.socialguide.com/
[10] http://www.businessinsider.com/bii-report-why-the-second-screen-industry-
is-set-to-explode-2013-2
[11] http://techcrunch.com/2013/01/30/facebook-visual-sharing/
[12] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney_Second_Screen
About Beenius: Beenius is the developer of Beesmart, interactive TV middleware for modern
TV service operators that deliver the most exciting interactive TV experience to their subscribers.
Beesmart empowers the uniqueness of every operator by providing a TV platform along with the
tools for extensive upgrades and prompt customizations in a cost-effective manner. Beenius has
a proven track record of successful customers and partners, and is committed to continuously
delivering the means for their sustainable growth.
About the Authors: The team that contributed to this paper among others includes Mr. Dejan
Pavsek, Product Manager at Beenius, Mrs. Nika Mohar, Marketing Manager at Beenius, and
Technical Writer. For additional inquiries specifically concerning the topic of this paper, please
contact us at marketing@beenius.tv.
www.beenius.tv