Fox Broadcasting Co. has taken an unspecified equity stake in interactive television company ACTV8.me and will use the company’s technology to power second-screen experiences for its broadcast programs. The deal went public today with the launch of a free app for Fox’s primetime comedy New Girl.
Zooey Deschanel stars in the title role, leading an ensemble cast that includes Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield, Lamorne Morris and Hannah Simone. The show is in a tough slot against ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and CBS’ NCIS: Los Angeles, so encouraging viewers to watch New Girl live may boost interest.
The app automatically syncs with the audio, making possible polls and real-time chat. It also lets fans collect points and badges, learn further information about guest stars and other elements, and look up words as defined by Greenfield’s character Schmidt in the “Douchinary.”
Bill Bradford, senior vice president of Digital Media for Fox Broadcasting Co., said the network was always seeking ways to form deeper and more relevant relationships with its audience, and that offering engaging interactive content was a key part of that drive. “We think ACTV8.me is an ideal partner to help us achieve that,” he said.
ACTV8.me founder and CEO Brian Shuster said today’s audience has “a whole new set of expectations” that his company’s platform provides: “interactivity, social connectivity, with the overall goal of gamifying the second screen experience.”
Related links:
ACTV8.me – press release
Fox – New Girl page
Fox – New Girl app
