Socialcasting

Socialcasting is a movement in online video that combines traditional media content, social networking, and interactive community to create a unique experience for viewers on the Web. Some have called socialcasting where Web 2.0 meets TV 2.0, offering new ways for video content to be experienced and shared by viewers in an online community.
Features.
There are many different platforms for socialcasting; most offer a variety of professionally generated content (i.e. live programming, television shows, movies, etc.) as well as some high production quality, user generated content. Socialcasting platforms allow community members to view video (live or recorded) as a group and collaborate either during or as a part of the viewing experience in real time, usually through some form of voice, video or text chat. Many socialcasting sites offer community members forums such as chat rooms, blogs, video screening rooms and other social networking channels to meet new friends, share ideas and discuss the video content being shown.
Commercial applications that offer realtime conferencing are leading in development of socialcasting technologies. For example, Gotomeeting offered by technology company Citrix allows users to share content including realtime computer screen access, video and audio sharing, and PowerPoint presentations.
Platforms.
Examples of socialcasting platforms include Ustream, Paltalk and Joost. The latter partnered with Meebo in order to add more interactive chat to its platform. Some social networking and online video sharing sites such as MySpace also offer socialcasting features.
In 2008, a startup company, DeepRockDrive, launched a “socialcasting” platform to present live concerts online so that artists and fans worldwide could interact in realtime.
Several sites allow socialcasting through delivery of interactive content on multiple media including video, audio and text. Such sites include Posterous and Tumblr. These are considered the next step for social online technologies, going beyond socialcasting. In these activities, socialcasting is evolving to what is termed Lifestreaming.
Roots.
Socialcasting has developed out of several technology trends including instant messaging, videoconferencing, social networking, video sharing and blogging.
Online technology analyst Will Richmond has likened socialcasting to a virtual bar. In much the same way as people congregate at a sports bar to watch a game, meet friends and “participate” to view a sporting event, socialcasting platforms enable the same participatory viewing experience of online video content, whether that is a live event, movie screening or serialized program.