TV.com

This article is about the current form of the service. For the predecessor to this website (before 2005), see TV Tome.
TV.com
Web address www.tv.com
Commercial? Yes
Type of site
 Entertainment
Registration Optional
Owner CBS Interactive
Launched June 1, 2005
Current status Active

TV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive.[1] The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in Canada, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Australia and UK versions of the website are also available, at au.tv.com and uk.tv.com, respectively.

History

CNET had originally acquired the domain name (among other generic domain names like news.com, radio.com, etc.) in the mid-1990s to host a website for the company's technology-related TV shows. One of these shows was actually titled TV.com. The program, highlighting the best of the Internet for new and casual computer users, aired in U.S. syndication.

CNET then acquired TV Tome, a fan-run television database. TV.com was launched a few months after the acquisition on June 1, 2005.[2] Many of the features and content from the original TV Tome site were maintained in the new TV.com site.

On May 15, 2008, CBS formally announced its purchase of CNET Networks,[3] and the company changed its name to CBS Interactive.

TV.com has continually looked at innovating the television-viewing experience by incorporating it with technology, as seen with the creation of WatchList.[4] This service offered personalized TV listings influenced by user actions and social media, which eventually carried over to the creation of TV.com Relay.

Features

TV.com provides show descriptions, cast and crew listings, full episodes, as well as clip length videos, discussion forums, and detailed episode guides for many TV shows. Episode guides may include synopsis information, a recap, credits, notes, trivia, quotes, and images provided by the networks. All textual information in the guides is user-generated.

Users earn points for participating. After a user earns above a certain number of points, s/he becomes an editor for the guide and can moderate all user submissions made to it.

The site also provides actor guides which include actors’ bios, credits, trivia, and quotes, images, forums, and related news. Like show pages, users can become editors for these guides after earning points by providing sourced content.

In addition to its user-generated database of television information, TV.com creates original editorial content and special features for noteworthy television events, such as Comic-Con, season finales, award shows, upfronts, holiday TV, and more.

Mobile app

The site has created a mobile application for download on Android devices from the Google Play Store and on iOS devices from the iTunes app store.[5] Both applications allows users to stream video content, including clips and full length episodes, directly to their device.

Relay

TV.com Relay is a social television check in application that is available via mobile networks and web.[6][7] Users can check into shows they are watching, see what their friends are watching, participate in discussions, and earn badges.

References

  1. ↑ "CBSi Our Brands".
  2. ↑ "CNET Launches TV.com". ContentNext Media.
  3. ↑ "CBS to buy CNET Networks". CBS Interactive.
  4. ↑ "TV.com Launches Watchlist: TV Guide for the Social Media Era". Mashable, Inc.
  5. ↑ "TV.com". iTunes.
  6. ↑ TV.com Relay
  7. ↑ "Relay and TV.com Join Social TV Race". Agora Media Innovation Ltd.

External links