Bravo to Hold Social Media-Powered "Virtual Viewing Party" for "Top Chef: Las Vegas" Finale

NBC Universal-owned cable channel, Bravo, has announced plans for a social media-powered "virtual viewing party" for the finale of its reality show, "Top Chef: Las Vegas" (airs Wednesday, December 9th at 10:00PM Eastern/Pacific). According to Bravo, viewers will be able to voice their opinions about the show via Twitter, Facebook Connect and live mobile chat. In addition, the broadcaster says, "Bravo viewers will also get the chance to interact directly with their favorite 'Top Chef' judges and chefs live, when they join the party by Twittering their comments during the finale or by following http://www.Twitter.com/BravoTV, and answering live viewer questions via mobile and online chats."

Online magazine, Salon.com, has signed up as the virtual viewing party's exclusive partner. According to Bravo, Salon.com's sponsorship includes pre-event promotion across all NBC Universal sites, as well as branding across all event platforms: BravoTV.com, Facebook, Twitter, live mobile chat and http://m.BravoTV.com. The sponsorship also sees Salon.com creating custom tweets to fans on BravoTV.com and on http://m.BravoTV.com, Bravo says.

During the finale broadcast, Bravo says, viewers will "have the chance to Twitter" with "Top Chef" judge, Toby Young; the three season six finalists, Bryan Voltaggio, Michael Voltaggio and Kevin Gillespie; and "cheftestants," Eli Kirshtein, Ash Fulk, Jennifer Carroll and Robin Leventhal. Viewers will receive exclusive behind-the-scenes content from the "Top Chef" mobile fan club, according to the broadcaster, and "some fans may get answers to their sizzling questions directly from the chefs on BravoTV.com/TCparty and on their mobile phones by texting PARTY to 27286." In addition, Bravo says, Fans can interact with their friends on Facebook Connect, "where they can share their thoughts, post comments on all the drama and action seen in the final, and have the chance to win signed 'Top Chef' cookbooks, 'Top Chef' board games and other great prizes."

Under SVP of digital media, Lisa Hsia (winner of a 2008 [itvt] Award for Leadership in Interactive and Multiplatform Television), Bravo has pioneered the virtual viewing party concept: its first virtual viewing party--for its reality show, "The Real Housewives of New York City"--won the MMA Global Mobile Marketing Award. "'Top Chef' fans are passionate and opinionated and we celebrate that by giving viewers more ways to engage and interact with our chefs and judges," Hsia said in a prepared statement. "We kicked off this initiative with 'The Real Housewives' and are proud to maintain a live event on every platform available to its audience."

In related news: Canwest Broadcasting-owned cable channel, Food Network Canada, contacted [itvt] Monday to let us know that it has relaunched its Web site with a new look, a new "interactive community" for viewers, improved recipe search functionality, a larger video library, and more extensive advertising opportunities. The channel claims that Foodnetwork.ca is the first food-related Web site in Canada to incorporate how-to videos from on-air personalities to accompany select recipes, and is also the first Canwest broadcaster site to introduce a "full membership system" (http://www.community.foodnetwork.ca). According to the channel, the new site "is not only more user-friendly, but more interactive and personal, presenting users the ability to create a profile and engage with a community of fellow foodies."

Food Network Canada says that its site's new membership system lets members save recipes to their profile and share their favorites within the community. Members can rate recipes on the site, swap recipes and tips, upload their own photos of recipes, and post comments. In addition, members can follow foodnetwork.ca through social media services such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, FriendFeed and Flickr. New foodnetwork.ca opportunities for advertisers, according to Food Network Canada, include media placement in more high-impact locations, advertorials, custom sponsorship packages, including video, recipe, TV show and seasonal guide sponsorships, and an extensive video library with available pre-roll spots. The revamped site is being promoted via on-air spots and bumpers on Food Network Canada, advertising on Canwest sites and the AOL Advertising.com ad network, on Food Network Canada's Facebook and Twitter pages, in the foodnetwork.ca newsletter, and through ad media within the channel's BlackBerry app.