I hardly make time to watch TV as it is. When I do, I focus on what I'm watching, and then during commercial breaks (nope, don't have TiVo), I get up and go do something else.
Now, though, CBS is testing what it calls a
"Social Viewing Room" where you and I, as well as any or all of our friends and various strangers can watch shows together, even when we're not physically together. As we're watching the show, we can chat, take quizzes, do polls, and 'throw' things at the screen, all of which in turn theoretically enhances our viewing experience.
Really?
To me, there's no difference between what CBS is proposing and just watching a show on my own and using, say Twitter, or IMing my friends who might also be watching that same show. Besides, how does that work if I can't watch the show at the same time my friends are, which is often the case? Or one of them has TiVo, and prefers to start the show a few minutes late in order to speed through the commercials?
It's great that CBS is trying to give other avenues for people to connect with each other. I can really see the merits in this new technology. I know that watching something on TV or in the movies in a group has a completely different feeling than watching the same thing alone does (although it doesn't faze me much to be the only one laughing at something). But seriously, when I'm watching TV or a movie, I'm watching what I'm watching. I don't want to have all those other things going on at the same time.
Who knows? It may be the next big thing. If you want to give it a whirl,
it all starts this week.
