It pains me to speak negatively of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s (CBC) Hockey Night in Canada (HNIC). It really does. I take solace in the fact that back in January I praised HNIC’s foray into the Web 2.0 world with its Hockey Night MashUps feature.

In this instance, sadly, I must say that my dear HNIC has missed the mark in its quest to be “more 2.0.” Like a few million other Canadians, I have been watching CBC’s playoff coverage (which is the best there is, by the way – honestly) over the past week-and-a-bit. This year HNIC has introduced a confusing and awkward new feature that runs during intermissions – something they like to call the HNIC “idesk.” It must be innovative if it starts with a lower-case “i,” right?

The HNIC idesk hosts promptly proclaim – with pride to make you think that HNIC had just been voted as being more inovative than Apple – that they are live blogging. Live blogging is defined by PCmag.com as, ”reporting a live event, such as a conference or trade show, on a blog.” Unfortunatly, live blogging loses its value when you talk about the content of your live blogs during the broadcast of the event that is the subject of your blogs.

Of course, live blogging has its place. For those not watching the game on TV, I can understand why they might be interested in reading the live blog. In this case, however, the hosts discuss blogs written about the event that the viewer is currently watching. It’s like simultaneously watching the same game on TV while listening to it on the radio.

Unsurprisingly, HNIC took the step of setting up Twitter accounts for each of their major reporters as well. It’s a good try, but here you have people who clearly would not otherwise be using Twitter, encouraging viewers to follow them. Their updates consist, largely, of banter between and about eachother. The audience that HNIC and the CBC are trying to engage with their foray into the 2.0 world can undoubtedly see right through this vain attempt.

This tale is nothing other than a lesson for any person or organization new to the 2.0 world and its tools – the use of the tools must have a clear purpose and benefit for the consumer/customer/client. HNIC gives the impression that someone in their marketing department heard that having a blog and Twitter account would make them hip and so decided to roll-out their idesk and Twitter accounts the next day.

One example of a TV broadcast that has jumped on the 2.0 bandwagon a little more grace is the Business News Network’s Market Call with Michael Hainsworth. Market Call is a show during which viewers email or phone-in their requests to have a financial analyst speak about the security of their choice on air. In this case, having Hainsworth setup a Twitter account and allowing viewers to Tweet their requests makes sense (ie there is a clear purpose and benefit for the viewer).

To more “traditional” outlets like the CBC/HNIC who are thinking about going more 2.0, keep doing just that – thinking about it. Think long and hard about whether there is a clear purpose and benefit to the use of whichever tools – blogs, Twitter, etc. – you may be using. If there is, then, by all means, go for it. If not, don’t force it.