Anything Goes : Dutch TV Game Show Format - Second Screen Engagement Numbers Off the Chart by Richard Kastelein

The Second Screen TV Playalong App for TV Game show Weet Ik Veel, hosted by Dutch TV dynasty family member, Linda de Mol (sister of Jon de Mol, original co-founder of Endemol) is taking The Netherlands by storm. According to the Dutch press, about half of all two million viewers have the app and over 300,000 are using it. "With record downloads and 327,000 active players, this transcends the popular apps from international formats such as Britain's Got Talent," explained a spokesperson from RTL. With 17 million people in Holland and a million downloads (plus 300k active), that's 6 percent of the total population. In the UK that would mean close to 4 million downloads, and in the USA that would spell closer to 20 million downloads and a whopping 6.5 million active users Currently Network TV in the USA has a hard time rounding up 5 million viewers..., never mind pulling 6.5 million on second screen to play along with a game show. The most-watched programme was the first episode of Weet Ik Veel with 2.4 million viewers on 23 March and now numbers hover around 2 million. But the second screen platform, provided by Tellybug in the UK, has been pushed to the maximum. The program, which is sponsored by Windows 8, is apparently so popular that the servers have not been successful in handling the huge traffic. At the bottom of the TV screen during shows - a ticker with excuses has ran a number of times - which resulted in the Twitter hashtag #weetikfail trending on top. Arno Otto, director of digital media at RTL explained in the Media Courant News: "The launch was not without a struggle, but we have gained a lot of new knowledge and the obstacles that we have encountered we will use for further innovation. The new apps download records prove the need for a total experience and it's clear that viewers want to be involved, prior to the program, during the broadcast and even afterwards." Weet Ik Veel ("How would I know? " or "Beats me!") is a weekly television quiz on Saturday 20.30, produced by Talpa, and broadcast by RTL Netherlands which was first aired on March 9, 2013 on RTL 4. In the quiz show some 300 university students and three Dutch celebrities go head to head with 50 multiple choice trivia quiz questions. Students compete for the title "Best student of the Netherlands' and celebrities aim for the highest score. After fifty questions are asked, the best-performing Dutch personality and student go to the final round, where they try to win the cash prize. During the broadcast second screen application players using the Weet Ik Veel app can also compete by answering the same questions as in the show with the opportunity to also win prizes such as tablets. Viewers can play against each other, together against the candidates in the studio and against the rest of the Netherlands and then drive scores to Facebook for social dissemination. Perhaps the one element that Million Pound Drop in the UK missed was driving more engagement on the Second Screen by giving away actual prizes? Note that a friend, Sebastian Becker, rightly pointed out that perhaps the Belgians are also downloading the app. I did consider that when compiling the numbers. But as it was not clear if the Belgians are or are not part of the downloads. And if so, how much of that market should one consider? Even with another six million Dutch-speaking Belgians added to the mix, the numbers are still impressive. It's still close to five per cent. Dutch Media Mogul Jon de Mol (founder of original Big Brother and Endemol which launched the Reality TV genre and global hit The Voice) consistently breaks the mould. It's just so simple, in a way. He completely the loop here. I can see the conversations with his team at Talpa (imaginary of course). Somebody at the office: "Wow Jon. Have you seen the numbers for Million Pound Drop in the UK? Over 100,000 people are playing along with the live show in real time on second screen!" Jon replies: "Yeah, it's great... but, honestly... people are not winning anything but ego points and that's not enough, we need to offer prizes in our next game show that has a second screen element. And better social dissemination than they have." Bingo. Gamification taken to the next level - potential prize and better satiation. Circle complete. "Hey Jon, what do you think about doing a singing competition to compete with Simon Cowell... what can we do different?" "Well, first of all, we need authenticity. Real singers." Roel van Velzen pipes in: "As it's The Voice that REALLY matters... we need to level the playground. We need a device that brings everyone in, makes the audience feel that there's less exclusivity, and gives us underdogs. Why not make the auditions blind?" Jon de Mol: "Yeah... yes... YES! we need them. Underdogs are the magic to the recipe, people love them and identify with them. And if the judges can't see the artists while singing but the audience, can we have a beautiful cake." What do you think? Is gaming the best TV Format for playalong second screen TV? Are there any other examples from other countries with similar formats? Email expathos AT gmail DOT com and let me know. Read Full Article with Links at Wired.com: http://insights.wired.com/profiles/blogs/second-screen-rubicon-crossed-i...