Network TV is in trouble, and Viggle isn't likely to help, says Fool contributor Tim Beyers in the following video.
For those who haven't heard of it, Viggle is a smartphone app that rewards those who watch live network TV. Checking in consists of the software sampling the audio of what you're watching and then matching the findings to your network TV schedule. (Viggle asks for details about your local cable or satellite provider when you sign up.)
In tests, Tim found the service would sometimes work with shows downloaded via iTunes, but Viggle didn't allow him to check into programs streamed via Netflix (NFLX +0.02%). Hardly surprising given the design of the software.
In the end, Viggle is a digital bribe meant to dissuade users from downloading or streaming a favored program at a time and place of their choosing. Don't expect it to work, Tim says. GetGlue is a better social alternative for those who've left the world of appointment TV behind.
That population is growing, fast. Apple (AAPL 0.04%) now supports 800,000 daily TV downloads and 350,000 movie downloads. Netflix has well over 30 million subscribers worldwide. Viggle isn't enough for these device-wielding viewers, who Tim says want TV on their terms.
Do you agree? Are you watching more or less network TV these days? Leave a comment to let us know what you think of the landscape and which media stock you like most right now.
Our analysts have their own opinion, of course. You can find out everything they like right now in The Motley Fool's new free report "Who Will Own the Future of Television?" which details the risks and opportunities of investing in TV. Click here to read the full report!
