e.tv and The Grid break new ground

This post was published on Vincent Maher's blog this morning. It's a project that he and I have been working on in conjunction with the very innovative e.tv Sunrise show. Integrating television and social networks is, in my opinion, one of the most exciting things you can do because of the instant feedback loop you create by merging broadcast and interactive media. At the Mobile Web Africa conference last year Nic Haralambous and I started chatting with the eTV team (eTV is a national television station in South Africa) with the end goal of using The Grid’s location-based mood data to enhance one of their shows.Today we launched the Sunrise MoodMaps on eTV to a national free-to-air audience and so far the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. During this initial stage we are showing the percentage happiness of each province in the country based on the previous 24-hours of aggregated mood data from our social network. We introduced the concept to the audience today and from tomorrow the maps will be integrated into the two news slots and during the Sunrise show. Nic and I are pretty certain no-one has done this before, please let us know if you find another example of a social network adding moods to a national news/weather show.I will post video footage as soon as we get the files but below is a screenshot of our initial designs for the show. They do look slightly different to the on-air version but they will give you a good idea of what we’re doing.

Wrapping it with contentAs things progress we want to move from general to specific in terms of what these maps show and you can see how this can very quickly become an instant mass polling tool that is greatly aided by the fact that we have location attached to our users.While we were looking through the historical data for the week, as an example, we noticed that the murder of Eugene Terreblanche doubled the total volume of people who were angry on Sunday morning. On average though, the whole country was 6% happier because of the Easter holiday.Working with the eTV team has been great – they are an amazingly innovative group of people who really get the space we’re playing in – and we’re looking forward to making the MoodMaps better every day.

Some ideas I've had recently

Here's just a short list of some things I've been thinking of lately:The music industry needs to get its head on straight.What needs to happen is that CDs need to go bye bye. Ok that was harsh. They don't need to go anywhere but there needs to be an effective solution to purchasing digital music in stores.Here's my suggestion:Stores like Musica and CD Warehouse need to offer customers the option to purchase a removable disk (flashtick) that they can use as a "CD". Instead of going in to a store to buy a CD you can use the flashstick to plug in to a computer, pick music song by song, album by album, genre by genre or any other which way that they like, save the music, pay per song, check out, swipe credit card and legally have purchased digital music.I love shopping for music, not online all the time and this provides me with a perfect and effective solution.Then taking this a step further, I think that the flashsticks need to be identifiable as a specific customers flashstick. Why? So that you can go home, plug in the flashstick and connect to the store online. Then pick your music again, enter your credit card details and bam, you have music on your flashstick.Obviously there are issues that need to be worked out, but I'm not that guy. I am an ideas man, let someone else make it happen!The next idea has to do with PVR.This is what PVR is:

The PVR will revolutionise the television experience and the way you watch television.The DStv PVR Decoder is a Personal Video Recorder and decoder in one. With your DStv PVR decoder you will be able to take control of your television.Some of the exciting features of the DStv PVR decoder that you can look forward to include:* Record 80 hours of TV Programming* Pause live TV* Watch two channels and record a third channel at the same time* Rewind programming* Fast forward and slo-mo programming you have recorded

So the idea stems from a night at the pub. Someone I was drinking with was missing a programme, so he tried to call home to get someone to record it. Nothing. Another person at the table was however, recording the self-same programme.Here's the kicker. In the era of Internet and gaming platforms that are able to hook up to wireless and networked internet connection, why can't I send a recorded programme from one user of PVR to another? This should definitely be a function. P2P2P sharing (programme to person to programme).On top of that, if we have Internet capabilities then we should be able to set the PVR to record a programme from a mobile website that is linked to our account via the TV guide. I visit the mobile site, login with my PVR number or code, pick a timeslot, programme and option and BAM you are recording. Too easy.What do you think? Am I losing my mind?

Morning rituals

I have developed a very solid morning ritual now before work. I wake up at about 6:45am-ish. Wake up, make breakfast and get to the TV just in time for the first of two episodes of Mad About You.Remember Mad About You? Jaymie and Paul? Little Mabel and the incredibly talented dog, Murray. I loved this show when I was a kid and I swear every episode is funnier and funnier.If you are awake watch Channel 10 (GO) on DsTV in the mornings for some great shows!

I Am An Addict

Heroes is my drug of choice.If you have not watched this series you must. You have to seek out the magic that is the human genetic evolution (the superpower). Most of the characters in this series have a special power of some sort. Much like good old Clark Kent, some can fly, some can see the future, bend the space/time continuum or simply cannot die. Some have stronger powers than others and of course some are using their powers for evil...I honestly, truthfully and faithfully believe that this series is not some half-wit attempt by some Hollywood mogul who is trying to make a dollar. I think that this sort of evolutionary change is on the cards.Speaking from a 100% layman's perspective I am almost certain that it is a simple matter of one child somewhere in the world being born with the ability to use more than the measly percentage of the brain that we currently use. That would be incredible, that would be world altering, that would be great.I am also impressed with the approach that NBC has taken to the Heroes website. There are video profiles, episodes available online and most interesting of all; there are blogs. Character blogs. Real Character blogs. Not actors blogging about their characters, but the characters themselves blogging. That is novel in my opinion. I haven't seen anything like that before. Great concept.This blogging platform also seems to allow users to blog in any language and have the blog translated to any other language. Brilliant.

Egoli and Binnelanders take over

What is going on with Mnet lately? It seems to me that this major television corporation has no interest in enticing the non-Afrikaans speakers to their television station. Maybe I am misinformed on the Mnet stats but do people really want an entire hour of open-time television dedicated to Afrikaans?Binnelanders and Egoli have now joined forces on Mnet's open time and represent the 18:00 - 19:00 slot. I am super excited that the powers that be are willing to put locally produced viewing on a prime slot, but why, oh why is this viewing in Afrikaans? Could someone please fill in the blanks here because my pea-sized brain cannot compute this move.I personally feel that locally produced television is great. I love the fact that South Africa is moving to a stage where we can produce our own quality television and that people watch it (Isidingo). I am also aware of the fact that locally produced television is more costly than simply purchasing an overseas television show. Everyone has made allowances for the changing face of our country, lets have Mnet do the same. Get some multilingual shows into the mix and slap on a subtitle or eleven.

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