Title	ENGAGING CUSTOMERS USING REAL TIME COMMUNICATION
Brand	YLEISRADIO (YLE) NATIONAL PUBLIC BROADCASTING COMPANY OF FINLAND
Product/Service	USING NEW APPROACH IN CONJUNCTION WITH NEWS ARTICLES & PRIME TIME TV SHOWS HAS I
Category	A01. Innovation
Entrant Company	NINCHAT HELSINKI, FINLAND
Advertising Agency	NINCHAT HELSINKI, FINLAND

Name	Company	Position
Terhi Upola	Yleisradio	Journalist
Aki Kekäläinen	Yleisradio	Concept Designer
Antti Hirvonen	Yleisradio	Journalist
Maria Hausen	Yleisradio	Producer
Ville Mujunen	Ninchat	Ceo
Timo Savola	Ninchat	Cto
Antti Laakso	Ninchat	Co/Founder
Jari Jaanto	Ninchat	Cbdo

The Brief

YLE (Finland's National Public Broadcasting Service Company) is using Ninchat to create a unique two-way communication service that allows editorial teams to easily provide a live communication between audience and experts, arrange live group panel discussions and engage with customers in real time. Using real time dialog with TV audience, YLE has been able to renew the way people consume online news and has re-defined the reader/customer relation towards being a more active, engaging and equal partnership. Benefits from the journalistic perspective: - Open journalism & crowdsourcing works as a platform to get new angles/point of views in the topics covered - Fast and efficient way to interview experts - Brings relevant material to further develop stories - Gives insight into which points the public is problematizing and discussing - Incites a palpable and real-time interaction between the public and journalists - Allows multiple individuals (the guests and public) to chat at the same time - Facilitates the sharing of the public's knowledge of a certain subject with the journalists - Sensitive topics (e.g. controversial) can be easily discussed using anonymity Ninchat real-time communication tool is available and already used by a variety of companies for innovative multi-channel program formats.

Innovation is based on Ninchat communication platform. Ninchat is a secure cloud based communication platform that can be embedded in any media environment (web/mobile/app/social media channel). Technology is based on OPEN API. Ninchat Embed API: https://github.com/ninchat/ninchat-api/blob/v1/embed.md Ninchat API: https://github.com/ninchat/ninchat-api/blob/v2/api.md Group Communication feature consists of the following key elements: 1) Dual-chat: Expert and audience can be segregated which allows easier following of the main discussion flow while allowing for participation. 2) Multi-channel approach: The live discussion can be embedded in multiple environments e.g. media web site, mobile site, mobile application and Facebook site. 3) Warm up / Crowdsourcing: before live event collection of tips/wishes for journalists 4) Secret "Backstage" channel: For journalists & invited experts, allowing the coordination of an event and ensuring professional end user experience. 5) Advanced troll protection: Allows efficient blocking of internet trolls/attacks, which is critical for maintaining high quality dialogue. Troll protection is achieved by a combination of silencing abusive channel members and blocking new joining members' discussion rights while allowing existing members to continue discussion. 6) Archive View: The discussion can be retrospectively archived & merged into site content.

Real-time communication allows for rapid discourse and iteration in the dialogue, allowing participants to dive deeper into the topic. Also, by allowing use of an anonymous identity, more controversial topics can be discussed without polarization (as seen when using real identity e.g. on Facebook or Twitter; people avoid asking ‘stupid’ questions and limit their participation in controversial topics such as illnesses or difficult personal issues due to social embarrassment). Effects: -> Increases time spent on the media site -> Increases customer engagement and sense of community -> Readers feel more "equal" with the journalists and experts when exploring the discussion topic together. -> Transforms a new article into a live meeting place where ordinary people and experts collaborate together This experience is also valued by the participating experts and allows for an optimal interviewing environment for journalists. Ninchat is commercially available and can be integrated as an easy to use, innovative real-time communication solution to various media formats like TV shows, web/mobile discussions, mobile apps & social media integrations. Ninchat can also be used as a secure, private real-time communication tool for investigative journalism (collecting more info/experiences about a topic, anonymous interviews etc.)