Liberty Global is partnering with Twitter to integrate several features from the social media platform into its Horizon TV service.
The partnership includes the launch of a brand new TV app for Horizon customers, Watch with Twitter, as well as a new feature via the Horizon Go mobile app allowing customers to Tweet TV recommendations.
Horizon TV customers now choose to follow live Tweets relevant to the programs they are watching overlaid onto the TV screen. After scrolling through a carousel of live shows currently trending on Twitter, they can tune in to their favourite shows while following live Tweets on the same screen.
The new Watch with Twitter app will launch this week on Horizon set-top boxes in Germany for Unitymedia customers. The app will also launch in Ireland for Virgin Media customers and the Netherlands for Ziggo customers during the next two months. This marks the first time that the Watch with Twitter app has been made available in these three countries.
In addition through the Horizon Go mobile app customers will be able to Tweet their recommendations from within the app to Twitter, where followers can directly watch or record the content by pressing the link in the Tweet. This feature is currently available. Liberty Global further plans to further integrate Twitter hashtags into Horizon’s TV Guide as well as trending recommendations into Horizon’s succesful Replay TV service.
“Through this partnership, Horizon customers can not only find out which shows are trending on Twitter but also follow on-screen live Tweets as they watch their favourite TV programs, delivering an even better viewing experience,” said Doron Hacmon, Chief Product Officer, Liberty Global.
“We’re constantly looking at new ways of making Horizon even better and more relevant for customers and look forward to further developing our partnership with Twitter to deliver new cutting-edge social TV features on the platform.”
Jana Messerschmidt, VP, Global Biz Dev & Platform, Twitter, said, “TV fans, influencers and the stars themselves are on Twitter talking about live TV shows as they unfold. Through our partnership with Liberty Global we are bringing the most relevant conversations into their TV service and surfacing what programs are trending, helping guide viewers to the shows that are most discussed at that moment.”
