Normally, it is easy to work and watch TV at the same time. The dialogue typically carries the shows my wife programs on the DVR. To bring people up to speed on the serial drama Lost, ABC is replaying the final episode from last year. Instead of a stale rerun, the producer added meta-data in the form of text bar in the lower 1/3 of the screen; sort of like a continual pop-up video.
The text provides background information that helps people new to the show. The text reveals new information about the characters and the plot, so it engages its existing audience more than a normal rerun would. Lost has had a very close online relationship with its audience. With such a loyal following, it is conceivable that text like that could be user generated.
This interaction of online and repurposing of existing video content was a central message at NATPE 2008. It is also clear that the networks are not going away and will adapt to the changes in technology and business models.
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