Peel Launches Second-Screen TV Engagement Platform Kicking Off With American Idol

AUSTIN, Texas, March 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- SXSWi -- Peel, the company dedicated to reinventing the way you watch TV, announced today the launch of its Second-Screen Engagement Platform within the Peel app. Its pilot run coincides with this season's American Idol Finalist episodes. Peel users will get the ultimate social TV second screen experience while watching the show by cheering and booing with the audience, rating the performances, judging the judges, and predicting the results – including which unlucky contestant will be voted off the show that week. The Peel app is currently featured in the iTunes App Store's coveted New and Noteworthy section reserved for the most innovative apps.

The Peel App eliminates the need for complicated TV listings and brings users closer to the shows they love. Peel makes it easy to discover your next favorite show with customized programming recommendations and connect with a like-minded TV community in an elegant and intuitive application. The Engagement Platform will display the featured program as a special tile within the show listings for increased visibility and easy interaction.

Each week, Peel will be sharing the results from the American Idol Experience, including the Leaderboard results and a qualitative graph of highlights (cheers) and lowlights (boos) from the show. The Leaderboard will tell an illustrative story of how the Peel community feels about the performances, contestants, judges' feedback and overall show outcome.  Users will also be able to tap a button to easily access the iTunes music store and download their favorite performances from the show.

"It seems there are always a few controversial moments on American Idol, whether it is an overly harsh judge or the beloved contestant who is unexpectedly voted off. We are looking forward to being able to share our community's predictions and passion," said Greg Lindley, chief experience officer for Peel. "We'll be implementing this new Interactive TV Platform with additional programs throughout the year. American Idol is the first big step in a more personalized and interactive second screen offering – and the way that most viewers want to experience social TV."

To celebrate the new platform, Peel will be giving away an all expenses paid trip to Hollywood for four, including VIP passes to the Idols Live concert this summer. Each time a user invites friends to join them in the Peel experience, or completes a contestant card rating the performance and agreeing or disagreeing with the judges' reactions, they will be automatically entered to win the grand prize.

Availability
The Peel App is free and is available immediately to download from the iTunes App Store.

About Peel
Peel was founded on a passion for redefining the home entertainment experience. As the recognized leader in personalized TV discovery with millions of recommended shows viewed, the groundbreaking Peel app combines intuitive program discovery, seamless remote control and engaging social sharing. For more information or to download the app, visit Peel.com.

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Media Contact
Evie Carter
FortyThree, Inc. for Peel
831.401.3175
[email protected]

SOURCE Peel