Viggle rewards you to watch TV. (Really.)
Imagine if you'd been paid for all those years in front of the tube. Handsome dividends from the Arsenio Hall show? Capital (instead of merely cultural) gains from Springer? You'd be load-ed.
Well, now you can reap real benefits for your commitment, if not quite a paycheck. Viggle, a Union Square based startup, rewards you for your viewing. Its "second screen" app uses audio to recognize the TV show that's playing (think Shazam) and gives you points for checking in. Certain shows carry different point values, and you can earn extra for answering trivia questions and for playing games (Viggle's MyGuy game is a real time fantasy sports game). Like an Amex system, you can cash out your points for music, gift cards, and other rewards.
Viggle was launched just in January, but the team already totals 86. And in an odd twist, it's a public company (founder Robert Sillerman bought an inactive public company to use as a platform).
As for the app? It's proving addictive. As it should -- it's basically Megatouch, synched with your favorite show, in your living room (instead of a bar). And it pays you, instead of the reverse. The Viggle team tells us that on average, users are spending more than 93 min on the app at a go and are logging 15 engagements. Though shame on us for being shocked at that -- we should know better than to bet against Americans and the tube.
Dowload the free app here.
Now go forth (and cash in).
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