Bringing Social Media & TV Together? Yes. Soon.

Although they aren’t launched yet, Starling.tv could be a game changer technology. They’re about to bring broadcast TV to Social Media and Social Media to TV. Exactly how we don’t know yet (though a chat with someone there left me grinning from ear to ear.)

I’m sure many of you reading this article have “tweeted” about the Olympics while watching, or a hockey game or footise or added a comment on Facebook or MySpace about a TV show you’re watching, have watched or are about to watch. Am I right?

So, the concept of Social Television is today, rather amorphous and undefined, but people are trying to make it happen. From our research we think this is closer than many think. Today, the platforms are fairly distinct.

But take for example MTV and MuchMusic with their channels that show txt messages from viewers and use txting voting to vote up a selection of videos. This isn’t just for the benefit of the audience; it tells MTV what’s hot and helps for radio play and lineups on other shows etc.

A whole conference on this topic took place in London this past March. There are hundreds of bloggers talking about it. And then there’s Boxee, enabling you to bring Social Media onto your television set.

Don’t be surprised if one day in a few months from now, you’re “tweet” or “like” from Facebook pops across a screen bottom of the show you’re watching.

So;

1. Will it make us tune back more into television to see if our tweet makes it there or our friends are hanging there?

2. Will we want to connect with social networking capabilities on NBC, BBC or CBC if we see others there who like the same shows?

3. Will TV finally have a new way of driving ad revenues or will it be micro-payment subscriptions?

What do you think?