Transmedia is the latest buzz word traversing the web, but what does it mean? According to The Huffington Post, transmedia “is shorthand for a grab bag of production and distribution practices and audience engagement techniques that … when taken together, promise a new kind of media experience.”

It is a phrase most prevalent when speaking about television and the integration of digital media. Television fans are already actively engaged in social networks to discuss the latest gossip about their favourite celebrities and argue over whether or not the latest American Idol can really sing. Digital integration leverages this audience to capture their attention with relevant online content.

According to Fast Company,  with transmedia, “elements of a story are dispersed systematically across multiple media platforms, each making their own unique contribution to the whole.” As such, the digital element does not sit alone and must be fully integrated into the strategic outlook of the television show. Fast Company states that transmedia properties “combine cultural attractors (which draw together a highly invested audience) and cultural activators (which gives that audience something to do).” Each medium has its’ own advantages – while Twitter allows fans to interact directly with producers through live-tweets, for example, an interactive game allows fans to fully interact with the brand in a fun and compelling way.

So what is the future of television? Have your say in a contest created by the Cable Center and built by Invoke.

The Cable Center is the non-profit educational arm of the cable industry that seeks to preserve cable’s enduring contributions to society, strengthen relationships between cable and higher education, and unite the industry around serving customers better.

The Cable Mavericks Masters Forum Student contest encourages students to challenge the television paradigm. How would you like to watch television? What should television be like in 10 years?

Take the Technology Challenge by entering your vision in a video of three minutes or less that explains how you would redesign and reconfigure the viewing experience to revolutionize the way we consume video. Feeling crafty? Take the Creative Challenge by pitching an idea for a show in a video of three minutes or less.

Five finalists in each challenge category will have the opportunity to present their entry live to a panel of elite industry judges during a special dinner Oct. 27 held with the Cable Mavericks Forum in New York City.