Eric Johnson Online

RealNetworks is best known for the creation of RealAudio, RealVideo, and the media player, RealPlayer. It is also known for its subscription-based services like Rhapsody and GameHouse. Eric mainly worked on Real.com - the company's broadband entertainment portal, visited by several million users a month.

Until mid 2007, Eric was Assistant Editor. The role required working within the marketing team and with other departments in assisting with the promotion of video content and making important decisions about what content was suitable for the 'Real' audience.

Celebrity interviews

Similar to previous jobs working in journalism, opportunities often presented itself where Eric interview celebrities and movie stars to promote their work and films. The accessibility of the internet made Real.com an obvious choice for distributors looking to publicise their products.

Eric was invited by 20th Century Fox to interview 'Azamat Bagatov' - supporting actor in the film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan:

Redesign

The websites were due for a redesign when I joined in 2006 and I consulted with a team in Hamburg, Germany, on how the usability and navigation could be improved. The end result was a better user experience and increased traffic.

3 is the UK’s first video mobile network, available across over a dozen countries with over 10 million customers. It has the best 3G coverage and has the honour of being the UK's first video mobile business.

Eric started contracting for the network in April 2007. As News & Entertainment Producer, he was required to create and build portals for Pay As You Go and Contract customers.

The role consisted of producing dynamic strips (called Today on 3) accessed through handsets, advertising and linking to principle areas of content. Popular material included music videos, ringtones and websites.The content was accessed by thousands of users per hour, meaning work had no room for error whilst being consistent and up-to-date at all times.

Knowledge of current affairs in the world of news, sport and entertainment was a must - as well as having a thorough understanding of popular culture.

Prerequisites to the job included working knowledge and experience of Assistant Producing, a background in broadcasting and the internet, experience of working in an editorial capacity and advanced working knowledge of Photoshop.

Social Interaction

Social media is now part of daily life and popular networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are increasing influence over all aspects of television.

At the start of 2011, Eric was appointed The Wright Stuff’s Interactive Assistant Producer – a role that sees social media integrate within the content of the show.

This role is vital to allow viewers with social media profiles the ability to interact and communicate with the show in a way they could not before. Viewers can instantly recommend the show and its topics to friends or followers, encouraging them to watch.

Eric developed The Wright Stuff’s Facebook fan page in 2008 and has steadily nurtured its content to attract nearly 30,000 ‘fans’ who have access to preview topics, behind-the-scenes photos and videos. Furthermore, the Twitter site has also grown in success, where followers of the show can provide real-time context and commentary on the show’s subjects.

This trend is set to grow, as consumers are now buying Internet TV sets, tablet computers (such as the iPad) and smart phones with social media applications preinstalled.

Web editing

In addition, the Interactive Assistant Producer role utilises Eric’s editorial and web design experience to update the website with featured content and highlights from previous shows. The Wright Stuff’s website has been through several facelifts, behind which a complex Content Management System provides the framework.

Eric's role on The Wright Stuff is truly multimedia, encompassing the world of social media, content design, research and of course, live on-screen presentation.