truTV has launched a brand new mobile and online experience that offers the network's complete on-air lineup via live streaming, plus an abundance of on-demand content. At the center of the Watch truTV app and website (truTV.com/watch) is an immersive video player that provides a live simulcast of truTV's East Coast and West Coast feeds. In addition, the Watch truTV experience includes the network's groundbreaking Social Playback function, which allows fans to see a curated social media feed synchronized with on-demand replays of episodes.
Live streaming is the latest phase in the rollout of TV Everywhere, the industry-wide initiative that gives TV subscribers access to more of their favorite shows across a wide range of digital platforms. truTV's new live streaming simulcast is available in more than 80 million homes through Turner's TV Everywhere partners. In addition to being offered through the Watch
truTV app and website, the live stream can be enjoyed via participating TV providers' websites and apps. To view truTV's live stream and on-demand content, users must log in with their TV provider user-name and password.
"With its robust architecture, rich features and abundant long- and short-form video content, the Watch
truTV experience is the perfect way for truTV's tech-savvy target audience to connect with the content they love," said Chris Linn, president, head of programming for truTV. "We're extremely excited to be rolling out Watch
truTV as part of Turner Broadcasting's industry-leading TV Everywhere initiative."
Work on the new Watch
truTV experience began more than a year ago, when truTV's digital team began conducting an extensive review of analytics and usability testing in several cities to gain better understanding of what consumers want. "truTV's digital team set out to create an app and website that invites users into the content, with a design that's sleek, streamlined and intuitive," said Linn. "We want people to discover and sample the shows, so the team used informed analysis to optimize the experience, successfully putting the user first."
truTV's digital team has developed a user interface for the Watch
truTV App that leverages the new design elements within the iOS 7 operating system. Among the elements incorporated into the Watch
truTV App design are parallax effects, motion blur and background fetch.
Response to the Watch
truTV app has already been strong, with the iOS version receiving placement as a Best New App on the iTunes App Store's home page and climbing into position as one of the iTunes Store's Top 25 free apps within the Entertainment category.
For the website portion of the Watch
truTV experience, truTV's digital team incorporated design elements and user-interface functionality from the mobile app. The result is a unified and familiar user experience across platforms, whether on a computer or a mobile device.
The Watch
truTV App for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch is available for free on the App Store or at www.appstore.com. The Watch
truTV app for Android devices can be downloaded for free from the Android app store or at play.google.com/store/apps.
The Watch
truTV Experience
The following is a rundown of content and special elements featured in the Watch
truTV experience:
Watch
truTV app - truTV's brand new Watch
truTV app is available for iOS and Android devices. It is being issued as an update to truTV's previous media player app,
truTV 2GO, which has been downloaded more than 1.7 million times.
Watch
truTV website - truTV's online TV Everywhere site, truTV.com/watch, offers a dynamic media player for live stream or on demand viewing, plus all the great content available through the mobile app. The site also matches the app in terms of general design elements, making for a unified user experience across platforms.
Live Streaming - Fans can watch a simulcast of truTV's on-air lineup through the app and the website's large, immersive video player. Fans have a choice of viewing either the East Coast feed or West Coast feed. The Watch
truTV experience was the latest addition of the recent Responsive Web Design (RWD) update to truTV.com.
Video On Demand -
truTV offers full episodes and thousands of shareable video clips for viewing on demand, with the full episodes available the day after they air on the network.
Social - Many on-demand episodes are available with Social Playback, which allows viewers to watch a curated and synchronized social media feed during the playback of select series on truTV.com. Plans call for
truTV to incorporate Social Playback into the Watch
truTV app experience in 2014. A unique function of the app allows users to see a curated social feed for every individual series.
Watch
truTV app optimized for iOS7 -
truTV optimized the app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch running iOS 7, with visually enticing parallax effects, motion blur, background fetch and transitions to create an even more delightful and immersive experience.
Adobe
Primetime - The Watch
truTV app is among the first to utilize Adobe Primetime, which allows the network to place ads dynamically within content rather than packaged into commercial pods.
Omniture Analytics - The new
truTV app will be Turner's first TV Everywhere app to utilize Omniture analytics in order to measure the viewership of its live streaming simulcast.
About truTV
truTV, one of cable's fastest growing brands, offers a wildly entertaining look at the real world through outrageous characters, unpredictable situations and irreverent storytelling. Currently seen in 92 million U.S. households,
truTV features such popular original series as Hardcore Pawn, Impractical Jokers, Guinness World Records(R) Unleashed, Lizard Lick Towing, Killer Karaoke, Upload with Shaquille O'Neal, Storage Hunters, Full Throttle Saloon, South Beach Tow, World's Dumbest... and Operation Repo. In addition,
truTV is a partner in airing the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news; entertainment; animation and young adult; and sports media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.
