PodBean

PodBean.com, around since July 2006, is a social networking website centered around podcasts. There are two types of accounts available on PodBean. Users can choose from the podcast publisher account and the podcast audience account.

Podcast publishers are able to learn how to create podcasts, as well as gain production tips. After creating and uploading their podcasts to the website, publishers can use tools to promote their podcasts and gain better exposure. Publishers can also keep track of how many listeners are streaming and downloading their podcasts through the use of statistics. Publishers even have the opportunity to profit from their podcast by sporting ads on their pages and offering paid subscriptions to their audiences.

Podcast audiences are able to collect all of their favorite podcasts into one place. Users can browse what other people are listening and subscribing to, much like YouTube. Users can use tags to browse available podcasts and easily find something they like. Audiences can also share podcasts with other users as well as get recommendations from other users.

Heroes Gets Interactive

We've already covered that with social media comes the potential for really great PR. Companies, professionals, celebrities, and television shows are able to interact with their audiences now more so than ever before.

NBC's Heroes, now in it's third season, has a number of interactive opportunities for their fans. Heroes Evolutions is the online place to go for access to all things Heroes. The website reads, "Online, offline, and on your phone, Heroes Evolutions brings the adventure into every corner of your world."

Fans are able to access character blogs, creators blog, past episodes, webisodes, an official Heroes Wiki,and even character MySpace accounts (Claire Bennet). Heroes is now taking things even further and letting their audience have a say in what happens in the online webisodes. People can vote for which hero they want to see star in their own series.

Hardcore fans that want to be even more involved can sign up for SMS (text messages) to be connected with the Heroes phenomenon 24/7. These messages are usually prompts for finding things on the Heroes website and/or new information pertaining to the current story lines of the show.

I think it's just really interesting to see how social media is allowing for entertainment to grow more and more interactive for its viewers. On the PR side, the audience is able to build a closer bond to the show and feel like they really are a part of things, solidifying a solid number of viewers. They have access to the show 24/7. It's something to hold them over for a week until the next episode and keep them involved in the storyline.

This type of technology has even sparked it's own Emmy award category, which was first created in 2000. Heroes is the 2008 winner of the Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media—Fiction Emmy. Definitely an award well earned!

How do you feel about interactive media? Should TV shows just be TV shows? Are character blogs and MySpace pages just a little too much?