Listen along

Last week, Mark Zuckerberg talked about language. He suggested the next phase of the social web involved verbs and nouns; ‘I read this blog post.’

But there was a missing word. Facebook’s extension of the open graph had launch partners that embraced the word ‘with’; ‘Matt Sheret is listening to Joy Division, so click on that link and listen along with him.’

Here’s why I find that interesting. Social networks currently allow real-time commentary, but don’t offer a shared viewing/listening/reading experience. You only get the commentary as it happens. Until now that commentary has flourished alongside the one thing that broadcast media has in its favour; appointment to view experiences.

‘With’ – and by extension the actions it will enable – removes that barrier. You will sync your experience of digital media consumption with networks of your choosing. Collective appointment to view, on demand. That has the capacity to wreak further havok with broadcasters everywhere.

Facebook isn’t alone in embracing that; arguably the embedded media in Twitter is a step in that direction, as are Google hangouts and Turntable.fm. But I wonder if it’s also the subconscious glue of things like Radio Roundabout or content franchises like Live on Letterman… appointment to view, at your fingertips, with the people you want to watch with.

It’s Client Room Radio again, and the two words I’ve used every time since that started; listen along.