Compete to get side watching (7)
I believe the answer is:
viewing
'watching' is the definition.
(viewing is a kind of watching)
'compete to get side' is the wordplay.
'compete' becomes 'vie' (synonyms).
'to get' says to put letters next to each other.
'side' becomes 'wing' (I've seen this in other clues).
'vie'+'wing'='VIEWING'
(Other definitions for viewing that I've seen before include "Opportunity to see" , "people in front of TV?" , "What's done in front of the TV" , "Surveying" .)