These days, as more people watch television with a phone in hand or a computer in lap, it’s de rigueur for a network to have a Twitter hashtag on the screen. Television producers and stars — at least the ones with thick skins — appreciate the instant feedback, and now they’re figuring out ways to incorporate it into their shows, thereby completing the feedback loop. Witness “American Idol,” which on Wednesday will start to use Twitter to take instant polls of the audience. Graphics on this Fox singing competition will include questions like “Do you agree with the judges tonight?” and two hashtags (words or phrases preceded by a # symbol, making the comment easy to find) with differing answers. Viewers with Twitter accounts, if they want to participate, will post a comment with one of the two hashtags, and the network and its production partner, FremantleMedia, will update the graphic almost instantly as the results come in.
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. Named LinkedIn’s “Top Voice in Technology,” he covers tech and business for Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN and writes a popular daily business blog. He's a bestselling author, and the creator of the popular, free online course, Generative AI for Execs. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.