Twitter seeking TV content partnerships

Twitter is reportedly close to signing deals with TV networks in a bid to bring more TV content and clips to the site.

According to Bloomberg, which cites unnamed sources, Twitter has held talks with Viacom about hosting clips on its site and selling ads alongside them, and has also held content partnership discussions with NBCUniversal.

Twitter has increasingly aligned itself with the TV space, teaming up with Nielsen to create a TV ratings system in December and acquiring social TV analytics firm Bluefin Labs in February.

Last month, Nielsen said in a new study that the amount of buzz a TV show gets on Twitter directly correlates to audience figures, with an 8.5% increase in Twitter volume corresponded with a 1% ratings jump for premiere episodes among 18 to 34 year olds.

Speaking at TV trade fair MIP last week, Twitter’s UK head of broadcast partnerships, Dan Biddle, said that in the UK alone 40% of Tweets made during peak TV hours are about TV.