Time zones are a challenge for social TV. Friends watching the show in a time zone ahead of you are yacking in real-time on social media, which can quickly turn into spoilers. Conversations become fragmented, weakening the show’s social punch.
The British TV show Doctor Who had a different twist on the problem. Episodes were airing the US days after they aired in the UK. As with any popular sci fi show, fans hit the net to discuss and debate every little detail, drawing ire here in the U.S. So much so, in fact, that many American fans downloaded illegal copies of the show soon after it aired in Britain.
For a show about time travel, the Doctor must have a solution. So this last week, producers shifted the show to air on BBC America on the same day it airs on BBC. And it broke ratings records for BBC America — its highest-rated scripted telecast ever.
As more success stories like these emerge, syndication delays and time zones will be tested. Last February, The Grammy’s aired on tape-delay, sparking a social media backlash. While time zones won’t be erased from TV schedules, some shared-experience events — the Grammy’s is an obvious one — will inevitably have to shift to a simultaneous broadcast (or offer live streams) to stay relevant.
(By the way, Doctor Who airs at 9 p.m ET on BBC America)
