I was on my Google Desktop today surfing my RSS feed link to Mashable.com (like a good girl for my new media module, haha!), and I came across two posts from a long while back (okay, one was late January, so that's not too bad, but the other is old news from September! I am so behind the times on this one) that I thought I'd take this opportunity to comment on. Both posts have to do with a new social networking site called Hey Nielson that launched last September on which users can share their comments/opinions and ratings of movies, tv shows, music and the internet. I want to say that I must have heard of this site in a vague kind of way, because the screen-capture shots look familiar.
However, I didn't really pay attention at the time, but now that I am taking my optional modules, I feel that the content of this site are relevant to both. As Nielson is the company that publishes pop culture ratings reports that influence programming on tv and radio and decision-making in Hollywood, this is the user's chance to put in their two-cents and potentially influence the influencers! When I think about how many times a show I and all my friends absolutely loved being canceled due to falling ratings, this is a tool I would've loved to have at my disposal. It also allows decision-makers in these entertainment industry areas to have a virtual, continuous focus group!
And actually, that is what the second post I mentioned was all about: an online/real-time focus group on the commercials presented during the Super Bowl. This has the potential to be a really amazing tool for companies, but on the other hand, it also seems like a potentially huge privacy nightmare for its users. But then again, it's the debate about Facebook and Myspace all over again, isn't it? Don't put things online that you would be ashamed for your grandma to see or could damage your ability to get a job. The same would apply here, as the ratings and comments each member gives are attached to their profile and remain connected with them. Still, I think I may just surf over to this site and check it out.
If you want to read the articles I mentioned, use these addresses:
mashable.com/2007/09/20/hey-nielsen-2/ (the original post about the site)
mashable.com/2008/01/28/hey-nielsen-super-bowl-ratings/ (the focus group posting)
If you could see inside my head, this is what it would probably look like...
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