Getglue e Miso: La Gamification Contagia il Consumo Televisivo

Simona Biancalana's article examines how the social TV applications Getglue and Miso apply gamification mechanics to television viewing, arguing that these platforms extend the long-standing participatory habits of TV audiences into a playful, collectible, and socially shared experience. The piece traces the evolution from earlier forms of audience engagement, such as televoting and fan forums, to check-in-based networks that let users broadcast what they are watching, earn points, and unlock badges redeemable for rewards or displayed as status symbols.

The analysis highlights concrete features of both platforms. Getglue, backed by investors including Union Square Ventures and Time Warner, is described as having over two million active users and roughly one hundred million check-ins in 2011, with established partnerships with major networks and studios. Miso, funded by Google Ventures and Khosla Ventures among others, is presented as a newer entrant with fewer users but recently announced partnerships with Fox and AT&T U-verse. Examples include time-limited badges, exclusive collections tied to HBO's Boardwalk Empire, and Miso's synchronized slideshow mode offering trivia and polls alongside broadcasts.

The article also offers a critical perspective, noting that the gamification remains relatively light, lacking elements such as risk or losing, and drawing on Roger Caillois and Walter Benjamin to frame collecting and play as deep human impulses. It further suggests that these platforms serve broadcasters' interest in measuring online and off-channel viewing, since audience behavior has become a valuable commodity for advertisers. Cited trends include a claim that these apps account for about 20 percent of US primetime TV-related posts on Facebook and Twitter, and daily access growth of around 1000 percent, though the author acknowledges that absolute numbers remain modest.