CBS Interactive has developed a new technology that brings families together to watch their favorite shows online, even from across the country. ‘Social viewing rooms’ allow you to watch television shows online while chatting and interacting with others.

The viewing rooms will include features that allow a group of people to watch synchronized video while chatting with one another. The viewing rooms will also include polls, quizzes and other features, such as the ability to throw tomatoes or kisses at the screen.

The features will begin rolling out on Wednesday for prime time and daytime programming on CBS.com. This will allow families and friends to watch shows such as “The Amazing Race,” “Big Brother,” and “How I Met Your Mother,” using the new features.

CBS isn’t the first network to test out group viewing of shows online. ABC Family tried to launch a similar function for a few of their programs in conjunction with Lycos, but that was on a much smaller scale.

The viewing rooms are being introduced on the site by a button that invites viewers to “Watch & Chat.” Some are calling this a mashup, although that term generally means that two sites are being combined to create more functionality. CBS’s viewing rooms might be better described as adding social features to online video.

This is another step toward the Web becoming more social and traditional media embracing these new ways of helping consumers connect. CBS plans to extend these features to other programs in the coming months and potentially to their other networks, such as the CW, in the near future.

It will also be interesting to see what CBS can glean from watching the responses of millions of viewers making jokes and throwing tomatoes at their virtual screens. By allowing their fans to connect online, CBS may be able to use their feedback to create the next generation of interactive programming.

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Entry was posted on Monday, October 20th, 2008 at 8:46 am under Online video, Social Media.

Read more entries by Dave Jeyes.
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