This week at NAB, Vidpresso is showcasing some new features of its social TV curation tool, which is used by several TV stations and production teams ranging from KSL TV to Anderson Cooper. The tool already makes it easy to display Facebook and Twitter updates on the air, but it can now display photos from Twitter and Instagram as well.
“We expect the photo feature to drive other possibilities,” explained Vidpresso’s Randall Bennett. “Breaking news pictures are obvious, weather is probably second most obvious, but what about a Mr. Fix It segment, where someone takes a picture of things that are broken around their house? Maybe a makeover segment on a morning show where people could try a makeup tip with the experts, and put the best results on-the-air? It’s a way to break the fourth wall, and it breaks it in places people are already used to interacting.”
A second new feature is the ability to integrate Vidpresso with touch screens, popular on many TV sets. WFAA in Dallas has been Vidpresso’s beta station, and Bennett said he’s looking forward to the launch of LeapMotion (demo video here), as a future addition “because we think it offers some really interesting opportunities for broadcasters.
Meanwhile, Vidpresso’s first TV client, KSL, is nominated for an award at tonight’s Shorty Award for its on-air social media integration (above) called “interactive stories.” KSL said newscasts with interactive stories experienced a 42 percent average ratings lift over its lead-in.
What’s next for Vidpresso? “Email support, so a station could go from email to air as simple as Twitter,” Bennett explains, furthering the company’s mission to “show your audience you’re listening.”