360 degree conversations

Television can learn something from the web.

Yesterday Film Australia presented a forum DOCO2012, a series of panel discussions hypothesising where the documnentary world will need to be in 4 years time when television's annalogue signal is finally switched off and Australia embraces a digital future.

Often in these discussions - which cover the effects of the internet, online video, the downfall of cinema and so on - the phrase 360 degree comissioning will be thrown in.   Yesterday was no different, it appeared within the first hour.   360 degree comissioning is the idea that a program can be a broadcast, a web site, a mobile phone experience, a game or whatever other platform the project works on,   A Commissioning Editor may green light a host of inter-related projects or begin with just one.

It got me thinking...

One of the great experiences of video on YouTube is that there is a conversation, a call and response effect, debates break out.     On YouTube, you can add your thoughts to the comments section or make your own video and file it as a response.

Television may also allow for feedback and comments on their websites, but could this be integrated into the actual television broadcast product.

Take a show like ABC's 'Four Corners', it has embraced the web revolution, it has a great website, There are online discussions in chat rooms, there is extra content and extended interviews.    What if I could record my own video on what I thought of the episodes argument, submit my own 5 minute film that provided a different point of view.

'Four Corners' is repeated several times through the week, in the afternoon for schools, late at night a few nights later and it get's a replay on ABC2.   What if the secondary screenings had additional content.   What if throughout the week a coversation was allowed develop.   What if television found away to do call and response.

This is where television falls down as it is a broadcast medium.    A one way form of communication.    Conversations may be the key for television as it goes through disruption and change.