• SAM (Socialising Around Media) research project merges second screen scenarios and content syndication technologies
• Nine European partners aim to develop open standards and protocols around social media usage on second screens
• TP Vision, manufacturer of Philips TVs, is the project’s exclusive TV partner
Amsterdam, November 6th, 2013 – Nine European project partners – including TP Vision, manufacturer of Philips TVs – have kicked-off the research project Socialising Around Media (SAM), which received co-finance of three million Euros from the European Union. The project aims to develop a delivery platform for dynamic social media content syndication to deliver an advanced social media experience on second screens.
Lack of standards for social media content delivery
Connected devices have changed the way users connect with media from passive and one-way to interactive. Now, while watching TV, viewers often comment on or recommend a TV programme and search for related information on a second screen such as a smartphone, tablet or notebook. Until now, the second screen phenomenon has developed in an unstructured way. It has lacked universal standards and common protocols to allow users to discover and access additional information related to the content they watch on TVs. Users must initiate searches for information by using generic tools, e.g. search engines and social media networks, to participate in shows. Users don’t get syndicated information, while content providers receive only limited feedback restricting the business intelligence that can be applied to benefit from and enrich this market.
SAM facilitates social media usage on second screens
SAM aims to provide open and standardised ways to characterise and syndicate content interactively. With SAM, users will receive digital assets from different syndicated sources on their connected devices – including TVs, tablets, and smartphones – thus creating a rich experience around the content they are watching. SAM will develop an advanced social media delivery platform, which is based on second screen and content syndication.
Multidisciplinary approach from nine European partners
Co-funded by the FP7-ICT Programme of the European Union, the SAM project will run for three years until October 2016. It will be executed by nine European companies from seven countries including the software companies TIE Kinetix (project leader), Ascora and Talkamatic; the research organisations Technical University of Athens, University of Reading and University of Alicante; and the media related companies Deutsche Welle, BDS and TP Vision. The project consortium will be supported by two Spanish schools, which will be involved in final consumer testing and validation with young users.
The SAM project team has already revealed an overview of its approach for the software architecture of the planned SAM platform only three weeks after the project launched.
Supporting quotes
“Ease of use always has had the highest priority for TP Vision as the manufacturer of Philips TVs and provider of Philips Smart TV services. The concept of seamless integration of social media content and the efforts to further enhance the social media experience related to TV content consumption fit our Smart TV strategy perfectly. As the only TV manufacturer in the SAM project we will contribute our technological know-how and user-oriented ideas to build an open and standardised approach to social media integration into the multi-screen scenario around TVs.”
Ward Servaes, Program Manager, TP Vision
“It has always been our ambition to develop, promote and use open standards on Philips TVs. SAM perfectly fits our strategy, particularly as it aims to improve the usability of Smart TV services, which is of the highest priority for us.”
Sam Verstraete, Managing Director Innovation Site Europe, TP Vision
About TP Vision
TP Vision is a dedicated TV player in the world of visual digital entertainment. TP Vision concentrates on developing, manufacturing and marketing Philips branded TV sets in Europe, Russia, Middle East, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and selected countries in Asia-Pacific. We do this by combining our design expertise and innovative Philips TV heritage with the operational excellence, flexibility and speed of TPV Technology. With these combined strengths, we bring high-quality TV sets to the market: smart and easy to use with sophisticated styling i.e. new materials and slim design. We believe in creating products that offer a superior TV experience for consumers. With Philips TVs, TP Vision is a global leader in the hospitality market. Based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, TP Vision is the exclusive brand licensee of Philips TV for the above listed countries. The TV Company is 70% owned by TPV and 30% by Royal Philips, headquartered in the Netherlands. TP Vision employs close to 2,600 people in several locations around the globe.
Additional press materials and information
For additional information on the SAM project please visit the project web site at http://samproject.net
For additional materials, photos, videos, footage about Philips TVs please visit the TP Vision press room at http://http://www.tpvision.com/press-room
Media contact:
Andrew Burslem
Tel: +44 208 682 9040
E-mail: global.pr@www.tpvision.com
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