Kirsten van Wijk 335973 2

Proposal BNN and Social media

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Proposal BNN and Social media

Introduction

The last 7 weeks we, students of trends and strategies were busy with
creating an answer on the question ‘how can BNN use social media to
enrich the TV programs’ the senior vice president of BNN, Marc Adriani
asked us. We, as a group did a lot of interesting resource what you can
find back on our blog www.bnn-socialmedia.blogspot.com .

For this proposal however I worked alone and I have chosen the most
interesting and achievable methods for your company to enrich the TV
programs with the use of social media. After reading this report I can help
you with the next step of actually integrate social media into your
company. But first of all I have formulated a literature review to give
already a peak how BNN can enrich their programs with the use of social
media. Then I will make a proposal to show you what steps will be taken in
consideration to integrate social media in BNN and how it works to
integrate them. I will give you some examples of companies which
already use social media into their company’s procedure. Last I will give
you a financial proposal to show the costs of the integration process.
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Proposal BNN and Social media

Management summary

The world of TV as we know now for 80 years is fast changing in the last
years. Not only new technologies in the world of programming let to new
and in proved TV programs. Also the technologies in the world of internet,
especially the upcoming world of social media, caused that audiences can
react on programs and becoming more concerned about the content of
television programs. Audiences can create a relationship with the
broadcasters as they feel that they are connected with the idea’s of those
programs. People change their way of watching TV from a passive to an
active way of watching. We all becoming active audiences engaged with
the idea’s of the broadcasters.

BNN could make and advantage from this technological and psychological
change in the way they are making their programs. By listening to the
desires of the audiences they can create a strong programming
specialized on those needs. Trough the technology social media,
audiences can quick react on programs, give their opinions and start
conversations with the broadcaster of even the presenters of their favorite
shows. Watching TV becomes therefore more and more interactive and
interesting to watch.

There are already some companies which already use social media to let
their audiences react on programs or let audiences think about
improvements the company should do. The interaction between company
and audiences is very easy trough the use of social media. BNN should
also use social media to improve their programs by listening to the
audiences desires, adjust their programs based on the improved idea’s of
the audiences and let audiences think about new formats for programs.
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Proposal BNN and Social media

BNN could also directly use social media in their programming to let
audiences give direct reactions on topics that are handled in the show, ask
questions or to speak with other audiences about the program.

There are a million ways to use social media in the programs of BNN in this
report I will outline the best chances for BNN and set up steps the
company should undertake.

Index

The future of television..........................................................................................5

The use of social media in mass media..................................................................7
BNN and social media..........................................................................................10
Proposal...............................................................................................................11
Financial proposal................................................................................................14
Sources................................................................................................................15
Reflection of my work...........................................................................................16
Reflection of my work
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Proposal BNN and Social media

The future of television

The world of television in changing. On the Dutch TV show ‘een vandaag’1

there was an interesting topic about the future of television. The Dutch
minister of education and culture, Minister Plasterk, was concerned about
the future of television in the coming years. He believes that trough new
technologies and internet in the year 2016 the fixed programming of
commercial and non commercial television stations don’t exist anymore.
‘the conversion of tv and internet is coming. Today we still have a practice
were programming plays a big role, programming of television is now still

1De toekomst van TV. 6 january 2009. Één vandaag uitzending.

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Proposal BNN and Social media

accurate. However whit this new conversion accurate programming

disappears’ (Plasterk: 2010).

Watching television in a passive way is now almost gone because of the

million ways we can react on programs we watched. We changed from
passive to active television watchers. According to Vincent Evers, trend
watcher for technical innovations, people are changing their way of
watching TV because people are changing their way of structural thinking
and behaving. Trough technologies such as internet and interactive
Television people can decide what they want to see and when they want
see it. Internet also allows people to make their own movies and post
them online or give credits and ratings to programs. However in 2010 only
2% of the Dutch population is using internet and interactive Television (TV
on demand) these people are mainly young and called the innovators.
Most of these innovators are watching TV series such as GTST or Gooische
Vrouwen. Evers expects that those innovators will grow to 15% next year
and in the next three years till 50%. In five years everybody will use
internet and TV on demand.

Television and specially programming is becoming more and more

personalized. People can watch what they want because they can choose
from a big different endless range of selected programs. The Longtale2
shows that it is not only the big programs what counts but all the small
niches together will provide also profit for a broadcast company. It is not

2 Anderson, C. The long tale. Wired, okt. 2004

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Proposal BNN and Social media

important anymore for broadcasters to focus on one big show but have a
diverse range of little show adjusted to the needs of audience. Trough
social media people can watch all those programs but also react on which
they like or don’t like.

The use of social media in mass media

Geert Lovink, Professor at the University of Amsterdam, says that through

the use of social media people become ‘prosumers’. A combination
between consumers and producer. Audiences are not longer from an ideal
point of view passives consumers but contribute to the media and become
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Proposal BNN and Social media

active audiences. These active audiences do not simply watch, read or

listen to a media text; the develop independent interpretations of what it
means; and stick to them3. These interpretations are shared with friends,
roommates and family and they base their idea’s on the opinion of their
friends. The way active audiences share their idea’s is mostly trough social
network sites. Jenkins goes even a step further and believes that active
audiences not only make their own interpretations but that new
technologies also enables audiences to archive, annotate, appropriate and
recirculate media content what results in a Do-It-Yourself media
production (Jenkins 2002). In other words audiences can create their own
productions by the use of social media.

Another thing what social media makes possible is costumers

engagement. According to a research of the MENG group in 2008,
costumer engagement is the main benefit what company’s can get from
using social media. Trough social network sites a company could built up
a long term relationship with their costumers, by listening to the
costumers needs. By using costumers engagement, audiences can
connect with the company, tell them their story and get responses. Not
only the senders but also the receivers are known trough costumers
engagement, what blurs the line between sender and receiver what result
in a precious relation where communication comes from two ways
(Croteau&Hoynes 2003: 303).

3 Croteau and Hoynes 2003: 268

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Proposal BNN and Social media

Next to active audiences and costumers engagement social media will

from 2010 even integrate in the television programs as we watch them
now. According to Steve Rubel, Director of Insights for Edelman Digital, a
division of Edelman - the world's largest independent PR firm, TV and
social media converge together and a new era of interactive way of
watching TV begins. ‘A race is underway to turn social networking into an
engaging 10-foot experience--one that we interact with via TVs. The
technology has been in place for years. However, the price of Internet-
connected HDTVs was, until recently, out of reach for most. No longer.
High-definition TVs were among the top sellers on Black Friday, according
to ShopperTrak RCT Corp. And just in time, the major social networks are
racing to make the entire experience more interactive via number of
channels--not just cable TV, but gaming consoles too’ (Steve Rubel: 2009).

A case study from a company what uses social media in their programs
just as Rubel said is TMF. TMF, the music factory, the smaller sister from
MTV, is a Dutch broadcaster what broadcasts music and live
entertainment about music, youth and popstars. Even though TMF uses
social media not even on the maximal level, they already allow their
viewers in a live stream via webcams, sms or chat to react and interact on
questions, program topics or interview with stars that are on the show that
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Proposal BNN and Social media

very moment. They also use Hyves, Twitter and Facebook to get in contact
with their target group and get their opinions.

To make an conclusion what social media can offer for BNN is first of all
costumer engagement, building up a long term relationship with your
costumers by listening and react on their preferences. Get new and
improved idea’s from your customers to enrich for example TV programs,
because of the way costumers turn into active audiences. And last also
from a technological perspective social media can be intergraded in to the
programs in an interactive way just the way TMF in the case study does.
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Proposal BNN and Social media

BNN and social media

Seeing this theoretical framework the main question is now what for
chances are there for BNN to use social media in the programs?

The chances for BNN to use social media are very good. BNN focuses
mainly on people between 15 and 25 or on people who are feeling
‘young’4. This target group is the biggest group of Dutch people who are
spending time on the internet. 97% of the Dutch population between 16
and 34 are spending 16 hours a week on internet5. So the target group of
BNN is already surfing a lot on the internet what is a chance for BNN to
find the people from their target group online on social media sites and
ask them their ideas and opinions trough this way. But also ask them for
new formats for programs or start conversations about setting up new
programs. BNN also stands for diacritical, idiosyncratic and their programs
are different and with more courage than other non-commercial
broadcasters in the Netherlands. Using social media in the programs, is a
big step and it shows a lot of courage because no other non-commercial
broadcaster ever did this. This will be a whole new step for Dutch TV so
there will be a lot of media attention and this will attract new audiences.
The last chance is through the use of social media and also TV on demand
people can see what they want or when they want to see it. BNN has a
limited broadcast time but trough the use of social media people can
decide what to programs they want to see, what kind of topics they want

4 www.bnn.nl

5 onderzoek van Forrester Research naar het mediagebruik van de Nederlandse

consument in 2007
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Proposal BNN and Social media

to see, so programs get more interesting, and when they want to see it, so
broadcast time in then not necessary anymore.

Proposal

How could BNN can take use of the given that the world of television and
programming is changing and enrich their TV programs with the use of
social media?

To integrate social media into the programs of BNN there should be taken
a few steps. Of course it’s logical for me to get even more theoretical
information from other companies what also use social media. But also
some more theoretical information from the company of BNN. Get more
information about the programs and the way of working inside the
organization and how they translate this in the programs to the viewers.

After reading more theoretical information, the first step I will take to
enrich the programming of the shows is to take use of the costumers
engagement and listen to the experiences and interpretations of
consumers and look at the needs of people on social network sites. What
do people like about the shows of BNN and which shows do they don’t like.
Start conversations with people and ask them why they like some shows
so much and others maybe not. by these step you show to your audiences
you are concerned about their opinions and you show your audiences that
you are open for new idea’s.
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Proposal BNN and Social media

In this step I will make a framework to get the maximum information from
the target group. I will search on social media sites to see what people
think about BNN and set up an empiric propose and platform to ask
audience what they actually think of the idea of BNN integrating social
media in to the programs and in what kind of way they want to see it back
in the programs. Of course more people are needed for this step because,
alone it takes a lot of work to listen to all the needs of the audiences. So in
this step it is necessary to built up a team with specialists of social media
to get all the content from the empiric propose, social media sites and
from the platform. For this step will refer back to the methodology of
Vodaphone in the case study below.

From the VPRA seminar, specialized for social media, what I attempted on
14 may 2009 I want to give an example of a company what uses social
media in their policy. The example is about the telecommunication
company Vodaphone what uses social media to enrich their way of
working. Vodaphone has a platform what is specialized in social media. In
this platform team members of Vodaphone are scanning daily social media
sites, blogs and forum to see who are posting positive and negative
messages about Vodaphone. The team members of the platform listen to
these messages of consumers to improve the services of Vodaphone. In
some cases team members try to get in contact with the writers on the
social media sites to ask them new idea’s and improvements for the
brand. Vodaphone uses not only costumer engagement, by listening to the
costumers and building up a relation, they also let costumers become
active audiences by letting them develop new and improved idea’s for the
company.

The second thing I will do after I made a framework to see what people
think about BNN and a platform were people can give their opinion about
the shows. The team what I created in step 1 and I, will start with more
dept conversations with the viewers of the show who have idea’s about
topic and programs they would like to see. But also small expressions
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Proposal BNN and Social media

about the programs of BNN from viewers on social media sites should be
taken serious. Audiences have become ‘users’ and user-generated content
has become a real competitor to traditional media6. This user generated
content plays a big role in this step, because the content of the programs
will be provided by the users. I will report all this user generated content,
what I got from research, to the border of BNN to give realization what
audiences want to see improved in the shows or programs. And on this
results BNN should take some action to integrate the idea’s or
recommendations into the programs.

The third thing what I will do is make a plan to actually integrate social
media in your programs. You have to think about the case study I
mentioned before from TMF. There should be a technical team who can
integrate the social media into the programs (but this for later). First of all
the possibilities of social media in the current programming should be
taken into account. Which program can integrate social media. For
example the program “Spuiten en Slikken” is a good example were people
already can ask questions by mail. But now by adding social media people
can create topics for the show or give idea’s which guests they want to
see. Every program of BNN should be taken in account and there should
be looked which program is suitable for social media to integrate. Using
the idea’s of the viewers for new programming, new presenters, new
guests and new topics. But also use internet and social media such as
facebook or hyves to get the viewers in contact with their idols such as
‘Filemon’ or ‘Dennis’ or use social media to broadcast on internet next to
‘uitzendinggemis.nl’. The possibilities are immense and the technology
can provide even further integration between mass media and social
media. In this step it is all comes down to the thing which idea’s are
suitable and achievable for BNN and his programs. And I shall look in this
step which programs are actually suitable and can be executed.

6 Lister et al 2009: 221

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Proposal BNN and Social media

Of course are these idea’s are just the beginning of using social media in
your company. Technology is changing everyday what means that in the
next few months there could be even more idea’s to take of the advantage
of social media. We could brainstorm together for further idea’s when I will
integrate those steps in your organization. You should keep in your mind
that however it is a big step to start with integrating social media into your
programs and way of working you will get the maximum profit from it by
getting more audiences, keep the audiences happy and have new formats
thanks to the idea’s of your audiences.

Financial proposal

The financial proposal shows the costs to let me integrate social media in
the organization.

Research company profile (me) 8 hours €144,-

Research other companies (junior researcher) 16 hours €160,-
Framework targetgroup (me) 8 hours €144,-
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Proposal BNN and Social media

Empiric propose (me) 8 hours €144,-

Execute empiric propose (junior researcher) 16 hours €160,-
Build up a team with specialists (me) 8 hours €144,-
Build up a platform for viewers (senior researcher)8 hours
€160,-
Conversations viewers (junior researchers) 32 hours
€320,-

Dept conversations viewers (senior researcher) 16 hours

€320,-
Make a rapport on findings (me) 8 hours €144,-

Research which social media for which programs (me)16 hours

€288,-
And rapport this to border
Execute (BNN) -

Total hiring me as adviser and executor €1008,-

Costs for total plan integration of social media in the programs of BNN ex.
Technical execution
Total €2128,-

Sources

Broadcasting
Sources
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Proposal BNN and Social media

De toekomst van TV. 6 january 2009. Één vandaag commerciële omroep.

Magazine
Anderson, C. The long tale. Wired magazine, okt. 2004

Books
Croteau, D. & Hoynes, W. 2003. Media, Society, industries. Imgages and
Audiences. London: Sage, Pine Forge (Third edition) page 268 and 303

Lister, M. Dovey, J. Giddings, S. Grant, I. Kelly, K. New Media, a critical

introduction. Routledge second edtion ,2009 p 221

Jenkins, H. 2002 in Lister, M. Dovey, J. Giddings, S. Grant, I. Kelly, K. New

Media, a critical introduction. Routledge second edtion ,2009 p 222

Lecture
Lovink, G. 2005. Netwerken of niet netwerken. Openbare les hogeschool
van Amsterdam

Newspaper
Plasterk, R. 2010. Plasterk neemt Hilversum op de schop. Parool 2 januari
2010

Internet
Rubel, S .2009. What to Watch in 2010: Social TV
http://www.steverubel.com/what-to-watch-in-2010-social-tv
consulted 12 January 2010

homepage BNN
http://www.bnn.nl
consulted 12 January 2010

research
onderzoek van Forrester Research naar het mediagebruik van de
Nederlandse consument in 2007
http://www.medianed.com/2008/08/18/jongeren-meer-online-dan-voor-de-
tv/
consulted 13 January 2010

MENG Group. 2008. Social media in marketing. November 6, 2008.

Reflection of my work
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Proposal BNN and Social media

I will give a short reflection of the work I put into the report and the
difficulties I had during making this report. First of all I found it really
difficult to begin specially because of all the information you already
provided about your topic in class. Therefore I believed the topic was
already handled so many times that I didn’t know what to write anymore
because all the advantages and disadvantages of the topic were already
discussed.

Second I found it very hard to write an actual proposal just because I

didn’t know really well how to write it. maybe there had been a bit more
information in class because I didn’t followed the point actually.

However I tried to make a good proposal using some sources I didn’t use
before and give actual steps for the company how they could take action
to integrate all the provided information into their company and make it so
realistic as possible.

Even though I found it hard to begin the actual writing work was nice to
do. It took a long time to write everything but I am happy with the result.
And I hope the company will be glad also and understand my points I
wanted to tell.

The whole course trends and strategies was sometimes it was a lot of work
but if I see our blog now with all these information and nice articles and
clips I am very proud. Overall I found trends and strategies a nice course.
the course in English was very nice because we could communicate also
with foreign students and learned about their idea’s. The topics were very
up to date and very interesting, the guest lecturers were interesting and I
have the idea that I really learned something. Keep up the good work!!