Subconscious Social Networking

I can easily order almost whichever movie I want to watch through Seventymm, and expect a DVD to get delivered the next day. However, despite of this very useful service, there are times when the only place I *really, really* want to watch a movie is on TV, on a regular broadcast. Not even a DVD playing in a player plugged into a TV would do - it *has* to be on broadcast. So though I may have the DVD/VCD with me, and the perfect time and place to watch it too, I won't if it's not being shown by a channel on TV.

While adverts are one reason why people may prefer watching movies on a TV broadcast (the adverts let you move around the home accomplishing chores, the adverts allow you to surf other channels), there's one more very strong reason that makes me do it: unconscious social bonding.

The very realisation that I am enjoying watching something which atleast a hundred thousand others are enjoying simultaenously makes me feel "really connected" to the outer world!

I feel like I am not isolated afterall, that I have some intangible company ... company which may be laughing at a comic scene just the way I am ...!

I guess the same goes for listening to the radio too. I would have kept these FM channels running for hours ... primarily for the 'intangible company' that they bring, that is, the legions of other people listening to them. The reason why I personally don't listen to the radio is the timely Kannada interruprtions in Bangalore's FM channels - which disgusts me who is used to the Mumbaiyya FM. Otherwise, the more local and more interactive nature of the radio would have made radio a regular timepass of my life.

Assuming that I share this broadcast-bonding feel with millions of others, I am confident of another round of revolution within the social networking domain. With IPTV set to redefine the rules of the broadcasting industry in the coming years with it's high degree of user-interactivity, TV-based social networking could well give the concept of social networking an unimaginable facelift, a complete makeover. It's a matter more of time than technological-possibility that people will start using the TV as a socially-networking medium.

If what we are doing at MeraSport is right, we may be one of the initial exploiters of TV-social networking. There's no better content to socially network on than sport, isn't it!?

Gordon: Whom would you marry? A truly intelligent man, or a man who truly finds you attractive?

Dorothy: In my case, sweetheart, it's the same.