via Huffington Post and Grant Leboff
TV used to be the ultimate one way dialogue. Program makers created shows. The public could choose to watch or turn off but had very little right of reply. Today, there is a shift in power. Increasingly, there is a two way dialogue where program makers can obtain a ‘real time’ view of what people think and like and can act accordingly. Those program makers who ignore this very accurate view of ‘public sentiment’ do so at their peril.
The motivation to comment tells us something else about the new consumer. Whereas people were traditionally happy for television to be a passive activity, this is no longer the case. The web is an interactive medium where we constantly make choices and give opinions. Many viewers are no longer happy to be passive but want to be involved. Some of the most popular shows on TV are now those in which the public can vote and have a say. The ability to post comments about shows on social platforms is another way for consumers to be involved and not simply watch passively.
This is exactly the same for any business. Increasingly, more decisions are being made with a view to what our networks and friends think. This is because, with social platforms and mobile technology, it is becoming easier to provide, and access, opinions about a whole array of subjects. In a world where we are faced with so much choice (like the growing number of television channels) using social proof to filter our choices, and make decisions, makes sense.