The Ultimate Dumbing Down - Second Screening

[rgray222]

Second screening refers to the habit of using a secondary electronic device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or laptop, while watching TV or a movie. Shockingly, 83% of TV viewers use a second device during shows, often texting, browsing social media, or searching for information related to what they’re watching.

Sadly, many legacy TV networks and streaming platforms (like Netflix, Prime, Hulu, etc.) produce content specifically for people who are second-screening. This means they simplify storytelling, using overly explained dialogue, repeating plot points, and adding voice-overs so viewers can follow the story even while distracted by their phones or other devices. When people divide their attention this way, their overall enjoyment of the show plummets. If you sit down to watch a show without your phone and it is made for second screening (most of it is), the plot becomes so basic and overexposed that the experience is almost pointless.

Content creators love this trend because it boosts engagement during ad breaks and live events. For advertisers, it is worth its weight in gold: 65% of second-screen users explore products they see on TV, and 20% make purchases during commercial breaks. I initially thought these numbers were exaggerated, but unfortunately, they are true.

No wonder many shows are predictable, shallow, and, frankly, stupid. Most follow the same bland, unimaginative formula. I often start a show, only to give up after a few minutes, turning off the TV and finding something else to do. It hardly feels worth the effort to watch any TV whatsoever.

Maybe everyone else has known about second screening for a long time, and I’m just late to the party. But to me, it feels like the ultimate insult, turning the most mindless entertainment medium into something even worse. Smartphones are not just comparable to using drugs it is a drug. I used to believe that new technology would eventually be integrated into society, with the bad parts fading away over time. But now, I’m not so sure.

Thoughts?

[Flash]

Posted by rgray222 (here)
Second screening refers to the habit of using a secondary electronic device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or laptop, while watching TV or a movie. Shockingly, 83% of TV viewers use a second device during shows, often texting, browsing social media, or searching for information related to what they’re watching.

Sadly, many legacy TV networks and streaming platforms (like Netflix, Prime, Hulu, etc.) produce content specifically for people who are second-screening. This means they simplify storytelling, using overly explained dialogue, repeating plot points, and adding voice-overs so viewers can follow the story even while distracted by their phones or other devices. When people divide their attention this way, their overall enjoyment of the show plummets. If you sit down to watch a show without your phone and it is made for second screening (most of it is), the plot becomes so basic and overexposed that the experience is almost pointless.

Content creators love this trend because it boosts engagement during ad breaks and live events. For advertisers, it is worth its weight in gold: 65% of second-screen users explore products they see on TV, and 20% make purchases during commercial breaks. I initially thought these numbers were exaggerated, but unfortunately, they are true.

No wonder many shows are predictable, shallow, and, frankly, stupid. Most follow the same bland, unimaginative formula. I often start a show, only to give up after a few minutes, turning off the TV and finding something else to do. It hardly feels worth the effort to watch any TV whatsoever.

Maybe everyone else has known about second screening for a long time, and I’m just late to the party. But to me, it feels like the ultimate insult, turning the most mindless entertainment medium into something even worse. Smartphones are not just comparable to using drugs it is a drug. I used to believe that new technology would eventually be integrated into society, with the bad parts fading away over time. But now, I’m not so sure.

Thoughts?

Been doing it forever, and yes, the shows and movies are outstandingly boring. I cannot not do something else at the same time. However, the delight when I listen to movies from the 1990's or 2000's. I am not multiscreening or tasking then. (I had a cell phone on my car in the very early 90's and a laptop in 1995 (of course computers before - so, even if older now, I followed the crowd pretty much even now with AI)

[Bill Ryan]

I suspect all this is about rapidly shrinking attention span. There are some horrifying statistics abut this, seemingly well-researched.

Here's an extremely interesting article, a transcript of an interview with Gloria Mark, a PhD in psychology.

• https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/sp...ttention-spans

The title of the page is: Why our attention spans are shrinking. Dr Mark states that even back in 2012, the average attention span on any screen was 75 seconds. And in the last 5 or 6 years, it's now down to 47 seconds.

[Open Minded Dude]

I hardly use a smartphone at all, so I am not in danger of that. My 'vintage' phone is turned off anyway most of the time, I have no smartphone addiction or small screen addiction of any kind. For movie watching I even use my PC where I have Amazon Prime and Netflix as video providers.

I admit I have a hard time to find something engaging for me nowadays. I am a movie/tv-show starter but very often not a finisher. This however has nothing to do with using other media during watching, it's just because I realise it bores me and the further plot does not interest me anymore, sometimes it is other specific reasons such as bad acting, bad script, bad effects, too political with much woke messaging, etc.. When I watch something and decide to go through with it I might pause though - since I do everything on my PC at home, old-school-wise. I also need to give my eyes a rest. So for in between a watching session I often go to other tabs on my browser to browse the internet (including Avalon!), or take a toilet / kitchen / whatever break (without screens). But I do only one thing at a time.

I also never understand when people write in their tv reviews that they forwarded or skipped parts of a show or movie. This baffles me. It is also that small attention span thing I guess. For me it is: If it's good enough either watch it all or none of it, that's why I stop a show so often altogether and never return. If the story was engaging I would want to know it from start to finish even if it frays out to many seemingly unnecessary side plots and character developments (which, btw, can be good too and enhance the narrative quality at times).
So no, it's never second-screening for me.

[Mari]

Hardly any 'first-screening' for me and certainly no second ones. Never had a smart phone or 'smart' tech, I avoid the 'smart' trap at all costs. Not since I researched the deliberate human programming of these devices years ago have I ever been able to look at a screen without angst since. I therefore choose what to 'cast' from my laptop to my tv screen, if I want a 'big screen' experience....now - I wonder if That 'big screen' experience is my programming too? I suspect it is..hey ho!

Easy for me to stay away as I've never been interested in soaps, reality, game shows. 'trending' stuff, certainly not the 'news' as delivered by the networks. For me, it is all rubbish, even programmes purporting to be of 'qualty'. Can't stand 'em.

Second -screening...here's a choice example, if not exactly a 'second screen' per se: family members came down to visit us, as they do once per year (take note - once per year!) We met in our local Weatherspoons. After a few minutes, I went to the bar to get drinks (my treat...they had, after all travelled over a 100 miles by train to see us) My son and I, laden with drinks, went back to the table, where we found all 5 members gazing avidly at their smartphones and they continued to stare well after I plonked the drinks tray down. My Husband was sitting with them and gave me and my son a look that said 'all this frigging way, a once a year visit and they can't leave their sodding phones alone' All through the 2 hour meeting, they kept on glancing at the nonsense on their phones, even while eating. They regard us as 'quaint' I presume) that we only have dumb phones, but really, their behaviour says everything about how they are captured by the state. NTS, they've fallen for all the b******s of the past 5 years and will continue to do so.

For me and my immediate family, its books, books and more books whenever we feel the need to escape, plus for me, quality time on Avalon and other highly-regarded sites.