For TV networks, social is hugely important

In the heyday of television, networks and advertisers craved the hottest TV shows, those capable of producing "water cooler" conversation the next morning. My, how times have changed in the digital era. "The water cooler used to be the next day, now it's while the show is going on," says Greg Kahn, executive vice president of ad-buying firm Optimedia. For a small but very influential segment of the TV audience, the notion of passive viewing has changed dramatically. Now, as the networks prepare to unveil their fall lineups and make ad deals for the coming season, "social" TV viewing is a key component of what they will be touting.