According to coded terminology, the second screen refers to all those devices other than TV sets – such as tablets, smartphones, or personal computers – that a viewer uses to access audiovisual content or services that complement or enhance the program viewing experience (such as for example social media).

The second screen is an evolution in the multimedia ecosystem that is significantly revolutionizing the way television is made and watched. The metamorphosis is not just related to better image quality through High Definition, 4K or 3D, but also about the multiplication of screens: the second screen is the most obvious proof of this. The most attentive observers point out that the second screen is not just a generational phenomenon: if for the so-called “digital natives”, the second screen has already become the first screen, the preferred means for viewing content and sharing online experiences, the simultaneous use of tablets or smartphones while watching Television is becoming a widespread reality for a large portion of the television viewing public. An extra challenge for the “classic” broadcasters: not so much from a technical viewpoint, but from an editorial one. In the very near future to make a television program more appealing and interesting for advertisers it will have to transform into a multimedia package.