Austin, Texas – Apps developer
launched Monday a Second-Screen Engagement Platform within the Peel TV listings
app that will bring a host of live user interaction capabilities to “American
Idol” viewers.
iPhone and iPad users who have downloaded the free iOS-based Peel
App from the iTunes Store (available immediately) will be able to engage in
what the company is calling “the ultimate social TV second screen experience”
while watching the show. Users can cheer or boo with the audience, rate the
performances, judge the judges and predict the results — including which
contestant should be voted off the show that week.
The app is being launched independent of the show’s producers,
and will not factor into the actual voting in any way. But Peel said the app
will give an up-to-the-minute barometer of the way “American Idol” fans running
the Peel app are trending.
The Peel app is currently featured in the iTunes App Store’s
coveted New and Noteworthy section reserved for the most innovative apps.
The Peel App also provides TV show listings, provides customized
programming recommendations and enables connecting with a like-minded TV
community. The Engagement Platform will display the featured program as a
special tile within the show listings for increased visibility and easy
interaction.
Each week, Peel will share the results from the app, including
the leader board results and a qualitative graph of highlights (cheers) and
lowlights (boos) from the show.
The “leaderboard” will tell an illustrative story of how the Peel
community feels about the performances, contestants, judges’ feedback and
overall show outcome.
Users will also be able to tap a button to easily access the
iTunes music store and download their favorite performances from the show.
“It seems there are always a few controversial moments on ‘American
Idol,’ whether it is an overly harsh judge or the beloved contestant who is
unexpectedly voted off. We are looking forward to being able to share our
community’s predictions and passion,” said Greg Lindley, Peel CEO. “We’ll be
implementing this new interactive TV platform with additional programs throughout
the year. ‘American Idol’ is the first big step in a more personalized and interactive
second screen offering — and the way that most viewers want to experience
social TV.”
To help launch the new “American Idol” second screen capability, Peel
is giving away an all-expenses-paid trip to Hollywood for four, including VIP
passes to the Idols Live concert this summer.
Each time a user invites friends to join them in the Peel
experience, or completes a contestant card rating the performance and agreeing
or disagreeing with the judges’ reactions, they will be automatically entered
to win the grand prize.
