FreshNetworks Blog

I promise this is my last Twitter post for a while (well maybe!)

Today was the second day of the first Test between England and New Zealand. And I was able to follow the entire match on Twitter. I remember summers where people illicitly listened to cricket on the radio in the office or where the network stalled as everybody tried to watch it on demand. But now there’s no need. If you follow Test Match Special on Twitter, then updates are sent to your feed in real time.

I love the way that people are experimenting with Twitter at the moment (see earlier post on how Twitter spread news of the Earthquake in China). It’s always struck me that too often people embrace new technology by trying to use the same content they had previously, just conveying it in a different medium. Something like using Twitter alongside the radio coverage of the match is ideal and a real innovation. Rather than just broadcasting the radio feed online, use a medium that is designed for short messages that are regularly updated. Also if you get it right, as the BBC did today, you can adopt a more personal tone on Twitter and engage consumers in a more intimate way.

The broadcasting industry is going to face a few significant challenges in the future with the growth of on-demand services and of multi-channel TV. Real innovation in the way they connect with viewers is going to be critical for survival. Today the BBC did just that.