Presidential Debate on CNN (Audience Reaction Meter)
UPDATE: I have read some comments on the web which claim it actually does use a heart rate monitor (UPDATE: I don’t think it uses that, they did a brief explanation of it last night) — along with buttons that will raise or lower influence on the graph (that’s actually how it’s done). I have also read that the data came from some kind of focus group in Columbus, Ohio (of undecided voters). Feel free to do your own research, and I will post more information as I get it.
I started typing out an answer in Yahoo! Answers, but decided to make it into a blog post instead:
The question:
“how is the Audience Reaction Meter gauged since there is no talking ar clapping allowed from the crowd during this debate?”
At first I thought it might be a clicker… but, in that case, how could they keep it in such “real” time? That would be very dependent on who clicks on what and how often… Perhaps they had a survey beforehand…
As mentioned in the answer thread, it couldn’t possibly represent clapping or noise level.
I’ll admit, it hardly seems reasonable… but one thing I thought about is some sort of heart rate monitor in addition to an ideology survey…
But in any case, I think that meter was a completely horrible idea!!!
Who gives a [insert your favorite expletive(s)] what the audience thinks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Who knows the ratio of democrats/republicans in that studio? Did they account for that sort of thing? I hope so, at least!
Don’t you think that those active lines would have put some sway on the viewer, at least some, as they watched in “real-time” how the pointless “audience” reacted?
It was a horrific and sketchy idea for them to do that. Let me stress that this act was demonstrated on CNN. Once I could not take it anymore, the channel was changed to ABC News. They lacked this “audience response meter,” thankfully.
While watching ABC, though, when a politician made either a blunder or a seemingly epic point, I found myself wondering what the “audience” on CNN might be thinking about this right now! Then I had to remind myself that it really doesn’t MATTER what the audience thinks of this. Furthermore, from where do they even gather this info and what do these lines mean? Does the red line rising on the y-axis mean that more republicans agree with the point that was just made? Needless to say, the channel was kept on ABC News.
On the topic of the debates… Did anyone else find John McCain completely out-of-line tonight? I found him to be extremely condescending to Barack Obama. I respect Obama for, with little more than a smile, putting up with a lot of crap from McCain… granted, the smile was probably out of annoyance, but McCain too showed in his colors tonight just how jealous and bitter he is over the fact that his opponent is leading in the polls.
. and for the drivers from...
October 3rd, 2008 at 10:50 am
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