The site, Fans.tv is the culmination of more than three-and-a-half years of work in the social TV space. Since 2010, the Fans platform has powered the social TV efforts for broadcast networks such as The CW and with shows such as ABC's The Bachelor.
According to founder and CEO Andrew Cuccurullo, it's this experience that separates Fans.tv from other social TV platforms. "We've learned from years of trial and error," Cuccurullo told us.
The key component of the site is the personalized Playlist. When users sign-up for the site -- with either Facebook or Twitter -- they put in their zip code and select their television provider. This then allows users to create a customized "Social TV Playlist" of content they intend to watch.
The service can then alert users of when that show is next airing, so that fans can communicate with others like them in real-time across their social networks and the Fans.tv platform.
Fans.TV already powers The CW's social TV platform and users can look at fans.cwtv.com to get an idea of what kind of interaction is available. In addition to live activity streams from other Fans members, users can see only what their friends are saying, follow comments from the cast and also look at the raw Twitter feed associated with the show.
In the coming months, Fans.tv will have a swath of HTML5 mobile apps and a developer API.
The goal with Fans is to empower broadcasters, production companies and viewers to come together in an integrated way.
For us, the killer feature is the integration with the Facebook Timeline for show reminders and "what I'm watching" shout-outs. This should allow for tailored and personalized programming recommendations.