TalkbackTV

0

1. What is your project? [1 sentence]

TalkBackTV  is a cloud based video platform that unleashes the power of media commentary and gives the public a tool to engage the powers that be, in a way never before possible, enabling them to do what Jon Steward does every night: “TalkBack” to the likes of Obama, Oprah, O’Reilly etc.  

2. How will your project use mobile tools and approaches? [2 sentences]

A TalkBackTV mobile app will allow those without access to a high bandwidth computer to turn TV into a two-way virtual, web driven conversation by providing access our video-database of the days TV events, and the tools to record their comments via webcam and remix into media commentary “rants” that will be driven through the internet and embedded across blogs, and social media pages.  A  community of instant mobile pundits who will rant, rave, review, rebut and remix the days important news stories.

3. Who will use it and why? [1 sentence]

Everyone at some point talks back or maybe even screams at their TV…. when Obama changed his views on gay marriage there were over 60,000 text comments on Huff Po in 8 hours, but video is the language if the 21^st century and mobile video commentary will empower a new generation to raise their voice and be heard.

4. Please list three ways they would learn about your project.

1- The desk top and mobile versions of TalkBackTV will be freely distributed , to well known media and tech blogs who will be open to creating media commentary pieces along with internet thought leaders and “influencers”.

2- We expect to generate coverage in both mainstream and internet media who will be attracted to the TallkBackTV story and its potential to turn the current media paradigm on its head by providing access to thousands if not millions of new ranters, pundits and commentators

3- The built-in social video features  of TBTV including the ability to  instantly drop out the commenter and insert ones own comments on the exact same video clips, will create engaged  video threads along with the ability to compare rants and vote for favorites.  We expect video threads of this sort to go viral.

5. What connections have you made, or will you make, with others [communities, organizations or networks] about your project? [2 sentences]

Rachel Sterne the Chief Digital Officer for the City of New York, worked on the original version of TalkBackTV with us and is a fan of the empowering nature of the technology.  Lawrence Lessig the Director of the Edmond J. Safra Foundation Center for Ethics at Harvard University and a leading Internet thought leader, has written letters supporting TalkBackTV and Anthony Falzone who is Head of the Fair Use Project at CIS (Center for Internet and Society)   Stanford University consulted with us on TBTV and is strong supporter.

6. What part of the project have you already built? [1-2 sentences, feel free to include links]

Our core technology is in development and is now 80% completed. Our private beta can be accessed at: http://www.talkbacktv.net/corporate/

Click green log in button. User name :  talkbacktv Password : test

We also tested our new modular front end upgrades with a site called TalkBackTVmideast last winter: http://www.talkbacktvmideast.com

7. What does success for your project look like? [1-2 sentences]

TalkBackTV  is all about empowerment, interactivity, leveling the playing field and giving a voice to those who until now have not been heard from and are sitting on the the sidelines.  We want to provide the technology platform  to spark a community of engaged citizen commentators and pundits who use use TalkBackTV in the spirit of freedom and democracy.

8. What resources do you need to succeed? [1-2 sentences]

Financial support to build the mobile applications design and development team. Additional funds to be used to create TalkBackTV awareness and support early adapters with a free video backbone.

Additional details:
Please list who is on your team: Todd Pavlin Founder Rick Gell Founder Cory Crossland Director of Technology, John Drago - Chief Developer
Expected number of months to complete project: 6-12 months
Estimated Project Cost: 250K
Name: Todd Pavlin
Twitter: @talkbackmideast
Email address: tpavlin@secondline.tv
Organization [if applicable]: TalkBackTVLLC
City: New York
Country: USA
How did you learn about the contest? We are also creators of the VBate Platform. IDEA, our partner is submitting a proposal for a VBate  app