SocialGuide Brings You the First Real-Time Social Programming Guide for TV

Monika Jansen Apr 15, 2011 Tweet

Social + TV is becoming a hot new trend for startups.  We’ve recently covered Watchparty.tv and TweePlayer; the newest entrant to this category is Brooklyn-based SocialGuide.

SocialGuide’s goal is not only to make TV-viewing a more social experience, but also to help you find programs to watch when it appears there is nothing on (despite access to 900 channels) via the first real-time social programming guide (which they shorten to SPG).  Instead of channel-surfing to find something random to watch, Social Guide tells you what the most popular programs are based on what people are watching and discussing.  (And just in case you are not interested in what strangers are watching, SocialGuide has a friends stream.) 

I had the opportunity to chat with founder and CEO Sean Casey earlier this week.  He has quite an interesting background in both the web and TV industries.  He worked at iVillage in late ‘90s, where he ran their interactive apps group.  Then he made a move into TV, where he worked for VH1 and produced “The Fabulous Life Of….”  (His favorite was “The Fabulous Life of Nicole Richie.”)  He also produced a documentary on Steve Jobs called “The iPod Revolution.”

With their new $1.5 million round of seed funding led by Alex Zubillaga and angel investors, Social Guide will be launching new products over the next 90 days, hiring staff, and working on business development.  There are a bunch of apps in development, and even though the site works well on the iPad, they are developing an iPad-specific app.

On the commercial side, this platform has the potential to drive wide TV tune-in.  Social Guide is talking to networks about partnership and branding opportunities now; stay tuned (pun intended) to learn more.