While 73 percent of millennials still watch television content on a traditional TV set, many are turning to alternative platforms for guidance regarding what to watch. A recent Omnibus survey learned that 74 percent also watch content online via computer, smartphone or tablet, and 76 percent say they discover new shows from friends, family and social media. Service providers such as RelayTV are responding by offering platforms that effectively blend social networking with traditional television.

“RelayTV allows viewers to see what shows their friends are watching right now, engage with them on the TV directly, and preview and watch with friends wherever they are, as if they were sitting next to each other,” reports Advanced Television. “By speaking out loud (or laughing) naturally, friends can hear each other through the TV by using the microphone on a remote control or smartphone, allowing them to enjoy the show virtually together, even when physically apart.”

“What drives millennials is spending time and participating with their friends,” said Kye Cheung, CEO of RelayTV. “With this in mind, we developed a social TV solution that allows viewers to check-in, discover, watch together and interact, all in a single unified experience.”

RelayTV believes that its content discovery mechanism drives interest in premium content including pay-per-view and video-on-demand. And if it proves successful in drawing millennials, it will also offer increased value for targeted advertising.

“Operators can easily add the solution to their existing service package through flexible software or full set-box capabilities and immediately begin offering their customers the next generation in social TV,” notes Advanced Television. “RelayTV is available on all screens (tablet, PC, TV) and all formats (live TV, VoD, OTT).”