At IBC this year there was some debate over the role of social media in broadcasting.

Jurian Van Der Meer from Endemol stated that social media must have its boundaries. The audience shouldn’t become the storyteller but remain the viewer. He added that content creators must keep creating great programming and maintain the integrity of the programme.

So what role does social media have in broadcasting?

Social media plays a different role for each genre of content. If you are watching an “edge of the seat” drama, you probably won’t want to be reaching for your phone, tablet or laptop to write comments to your friends; the idea is that you’ll be so wrapped up in the storyline that social media would prove to be a distraction rather than additive to the experience. But, if you are watching a reality, news or game show you can dramatically enhance your viewing experience through a deeper engagement with the programme – be that by getting opinions from friends or by sharing your opinions with your network or indeed interacting with complementary experiences such as social gaming or play-a-long.

Steve Plunkett shared some of Red Bee Media’s successes with social media strategies delivered for our clients. Take a look at the work we have done with CBBC and Horrible Histories and The Hunting Moon . For UKTV we enabled voting for David Attenborough’s programme on Eden, resulting in a 112% increase in viewers aged 18-34.

It is true social media can really help drive viewing but, as Claire Tavernier from FremantleMedia summarised, social media needs TV too. So don’t force it; use it to create deeper engagement.

Stella Medlicott, Chief Marketing Officer