TV platform Zeebox to relaunch as social media site
TV companion app Zeebox has relaunched as a social media platform called Beamly that will compete for users with the likes of Twitter and Facebook.
Jimmy Storrier, general manager of Beamly Australia, told Mumbrella at the relaunch event in Sydney last night the biggest challenge for Beamly will be convincing people to sign up for another social media platform.
However, he said the app will also work with Twitter as a partner and aim to create a point of difference in the social media space by providing an exclusive focus on TV and entertainment content.
“Convincing people they need another social network will be the biggest challenge,” Storrier said. “But it’s not all about convincing them. It’s that there’s so much noise out there in the mobile app space and social networking that we’ve just got to do a really fantastic job of telling people what we’re about and why it’s important and useful. That’s the hardest job.”
Storrier said the app relaunch built on market research that showed people wanted a social network that is relevant and specific to TV network content, and Beamly will work “harmoniously” with other social networks while seeking to draw in users.
He said: “Twitter is a big partner of ours and we cross over in some areas but we’re also deep in the contextual areas where other social networks aren’t, so we’re all about living harmoniously with them.
“We talk about Facebook being fantastically good for ambient social networking around a whole bunch of things, whereas we are really focusing on TV and entertainment content, so you know when you go to Beamly it’s about one thing: it’s about deep contextual television conversations.”
The app, launched two years ago as a program guide with a live companion experience, will now give users opportunities to follow TV shows and stars, connect with other fans, discover new shows and join in conversations about programs anywhere, anytime.
Craig Blair, chairman of Beamly Australia said Zeebox has gradually been introducing the new social features over the past few months and seen engagement rise to over 70,000 weekly users. The average user logs into the app between two and three times a week, adding up to more than 70,000 hours spent on the app each week. Yesterday Mi9 CEO Mark Britt revealed Nine’s catch-up companion app Jump-In now has 670,000 downloads, while Seven’s Fango has had 995,000 downloads.
Zeebox is available via iOS, Android or web browsers, and existing users will see the app updated automatically to Beamly without any requirement to switch over.
Network Ten is a partner of Beamly and signed on 13 new broadcast networks as strategic partners this year, including BBC Worldwide, ESPN, Disney, FX and Fox International Channels.
Yeah, good luck with that one.
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