The internet is assumed to have a parasitic relationship with TV content, but social networking site Bebo is playing host to a growing proportion of increasingly sophisticated content commissioned from scratch.

‘The Gap Year’ is a reality TV series following the fortunes six young people as they travel the world, it was not created for broadcast on terrestrial TV but for social networking site Bebo. The Gap Year is Bebo’s third original content commission in six months. TV content on social networking sites has traditionally fallen into one of three groups, either purely user generated, existing broadcast TV content, or brand content produced by advertisers. Along with previous Bebo commissions Kate modern and Sofia’s Diary, such custom made social network programs offer a greater scope for user engagement. Audience feedback plays a fundamental role in shaping how plots and characters evolve. Users dictate the casting process and discuss the storylines and characters. Bebo offers instant feedback from a built in forum of interested and committed users.

(via The Guardian)