While syndication has become a huge business for digital content publishers, its reach has rarely spanned the mobile app or social TV world. Yesterday, though, Fox announced that the custom experiences it has until now created exclusively for its Fox Now apps will be made available to other second screen TV app providers.
To help distribute its content, Fox has teamed up with a syndication platform called Watchwith. The platform will allow Fox’s partners to take advantage of its content, enable a good user experience, and ensure advertisers delivery across multiple apps and platforms.
Fox’s launch partners include Shazam, Viggle, ConnecTV, and Dijit’s NextGuide. Viewers using these apps will be able to sync to the Fox broadcast and have access to the social and interactive content that Fox creates around the shows.
“FOX’s focus on the creation of second-screen content as the shows are being produced is a really important step in the industry, and we’re proud to be one of FOX’s launch partners,” said Doug Garland, Chief Revenue Officer at Shazam. “Given the significant reach of Shazam – 85 million users in the US alone – we’re excited to partner with FOX to engage a wide audience with compelling second-screen content.”
In addition to the second-screen patners announced today, Fox is currently in discussion to bring these features to smart TVs and television service providers looking to increase audience engagement.