"Dead" Brings Life to Second Screen

Second Screen Experience for The Walking Dead

The "Second Screen" is one of those buzzwords in media circles. People in news say they want to own the second screen, but most of their effort is targeted to standalone websites and phone and tablet apps. The non-fiction world could learn a lesson in second screen appeal from our fictional cousins who make The Walking Dead.

Quiz

The "sync experience" for The Walking Dead is a website-based experienced timed to coincide with live airings of television episodes. The content includes quizes, polls, video clips, and (tv) screen grabs presented at key moments. After a gruesome walker kill, the website will ask you to rank it on a bloodiness scale. When a symbolic gesture or item appears on the screen, the website will remind you of the significance (helpful for late entries into the series.)

Ad on Second Screen During a Commercial Break

The sync experience even includes ads, timed to offer themselves to viewers at a time when AMC is running promos rather than paid commercials, wisely making revenue and not conflicting with those who pay (more) for a broadcast slot. Each (new) episode of The Walking Dead starts with a reminder to start the "sync experience."

Talking Dead

And the final innovation for the "second screen" effort is bringing it back to the first screen. After new episodes we get Talking Dead, an hour-long show hosted by nerd royalty Chris Hardwick interviewing two celebrity "super fans" and one actor or producer from the show. This show incorporates digital interaction with the audience by displaying pictures from the "Dead Yourself" app, twitter questions, and more.

So how can news learn from this? While it would be next to impossible to automate a "news synch" to a live newscast, you could certainly do a "live tweet" or even host a Google+ Chat, possibly run by a (not the line) producer with the anchors and reporters joining in. Depending on crew availability (and break times, and union rules, etc.) there could also be a "News Extra" that runs after a newscast ends, or before it starts.)