Ever since hashtags have been showing up on TV, we’ve been talking with every client that would listen about the synergy between social media and traditional media. Now, finally, we have credible research that verifies that we’re right. According to a new independent survey by Nielsen, there is now statistical evidence of a symbiotic relationship between Twitter and broadcast TV. Twitter is transforming the way we watch TV. No longer are we limited to interacting with those in our living rooms. Now we are “watching” with millions of our social “friends”. And, Neilsen claims, our tweets generate TV ratings, and those ratings generate tweets!
C’mon, it’s not like we’re surprised by this, right? Remember how you tweeted out your feelings about that sucky performances in the Oscars? Or the final score in the Super Bowl? The results of this research confirm that increases in TV ratings during a broadcast cause more people to tweet. With the networks so heavily invested in social media, and the almost silly number of hashtagged graphics that appear onscreen during your local newscasts, this symbiotic relationship is sure to continue to grow.