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Future of TV Vast Media USA Network

An inside look at USA Network's interactive experience for 'Colony'

By Nicole Greiner, Research Analyst

December 28, 2015 | 3 min read

Nicole Greiner is a research analyst at VAST MEDIA, a media research and consulting company based in Berlin that provides international television industry leaders with qualitative competitive market analysis of digital entertainment and content marketing.

Gearing up for the premiere of its upcoming original series "Colony", which centers around a family's struggle to live in an occupied Los Angeles, USA Network set up the interactive website colonytv.com. The site provides visitors with the opportunity to step into the world of the series and get a glimpse of what life in an occupied Los Angeles feels like. "Colony" premieres on January 14, 2016.

Upon entering the site, users need to provide an 'ID badge' by either entering their Facebook details or logging in as a guest. They then receive their customized badge including a profile picture, their name and the date of registration. In addition, users have the option to submit their email address in order to receive regular updates on the series.

Next, users can proceed to the "Colony" apartment which they can explore by clicking on various hotspots that are connected with interactive elements. The experience is also accompanied by ambient sound.

When clicking on the radio, an enlarged version opens in a pop-up window. To listen to a program, users first need to manually find the right channel by rotating the knob. The radio show is presented by Geronimo, the mysterious figurehead of the Resistance movement within the Los Angeles bloc.

To see what's on TV, users first need to click on it and then tap the remote to change the channel. While one channel features a speech of Proxy Alan Snyder, the leader of the Green Zone in occupied Los Angeles, another channel displays a commercial that encourages viewers to join Homeland Security. Other clickable objects within the apartment include a flyer, the window, an ID badge and a basket filled with groceries.

The shareable website also features links to the show's official website, where users can find a trailer and behind-the-scenes content. Furthermore, a countdown in the upper left corner reveals how many days to go to 'Explore The Colony', which might be a hint that more explorable sets become available.

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