Applause meter
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A clap-o-meter, clapometer or applause meter is a
measurement instrument A measuring instrument is a device to measure a physical quantity. In the physical sciences, quality assurance, and engineering, measurement is the activity of obtaining and comparing physical quantities of real-world objects and events. Est ...
that purports to measure and display the volume of
clapping A clap is the percussive sound made by striking together two flat surfaces, as in the body parts of humans or animals. Humans clap with the palms of their hands, often quickly and repeatedly to express appreciation or approval (see applause), ...
or
applause Applause (Latin ''applaudere,'' to strike upon, clap) is primarily a form of ovation or praise expressed by the act of clapping, or striking the palms of the hands together, in order to create noise. Audiences usually applaud after a performanc ...
made by an audience. It can be used to indicate the
popularity In sociology, popularity is how much a person, idea, place, item or other concept is either liked or accorded status by other people. Liking can be due to reciprocal liking, interpersonal attraction, and similar factors. Social status can be ...
of contestants and decide the result of
competition Competition is a rivalry where two or more parties strive for a common goal which cannot be shared: where one's gain is the other's loss (an example of which is a zero-sum game). Competition can arise between entities such as organisms, indiv ...
s based on audience popularity. Specific implementations may or may not be based on an actual sound level meters. Clap-o-meters were a popular element in
talent show A talent show is an event in which participants perform the arts of singing, dancing, lip-syncing, acting, martial arts, playing an instrument, poetry, comedy or other activities to showcase skills. Many talent shows are performances rather ...
s and
television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...
game show A game show is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment (radio, television, internet, stage or other) where contestants compete for a reward. These programs can either be participatory or demonstrative and are typically directed by a host, ...
s in the 1950s and 1960s, most notably '' Opportunity Knocks'',
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...

Press Your Buttons Now!
/ref> but have been since been supplanted by other, more sophisticated, methods of measuring audience response.


History

One of the first appearances of a clap-o-meter was in 1956, on the British TV game show ''Opportunity Knocks'', developed and presented by
Hughie Green Hugh Hughes Green (2 February 1920 – 3 May 1997) was an English radio and television presenter, game show host and actor. Early life Green was born in Marylebone, London, to a Scottish father, Hugh Aitchison Green, a former British Army offic ...
. The clap-o-meter itself was a wooden box labelled "Audience Reaction Indicator". The prop is now part of the collection of the
National Media Museum The National Science and Media Museum (formerly The National Museum of Photography, Film & Television, 1983–2006 and then the National Media Museum, 2006–2017), located in Bradford, West Yorkshire, is part of the national Science Museum G ...
, in Bradford. Clap-o-meters were used in many other TV shows and at live events. In 1989, Green unsuccessfully attempted to sue the
New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation The New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation (NZBC) was a publicly owned company of the New Zealand Government founded in 1962. The Broadcasting Act 1976 then reformed NZBC as the Broadcasting Corporation of New Zealand (BCNZ). The corporation was ...
for
copyright infringement Copyright infringement (at times referred to as piracy) is the use of works protected by copyright without permission for a usage where such permission is required, thereby infringing certain exclusive rights granted to the copyright holder, s ...
over a similar programme. The clap-o-meter was one of the distinctive features of the format by which Green sought to define it as copyrightable. The courts found that a loose format defined by catchphrases and accessories, such as the clap-o-meter, was not copyrightable. Clap-o-meters continue to be used. They are often regarded as a novelty or item of amusement rather than an accurate method to measure popularity. Even so, they are sometimes used to judge winners in fairly serious
competitions Competition is a rivalry where two or more parties strive for a common goal which cannot be shared: where one's gain is the other's loss (an example of which is a zero-sum game). Competition can arise between entities such as organisms, indi ...
such as battle of the bands competitions.Core77 Live 1 Hour Design Challenge at 'A Better World by Design'
/ref> In politics, a politician's popularity is sometimes gauged by the applause they achieve when giving speeches. News organisations sometimes use the concept of a clap-o-meter to gauge popularity of a politician or of components of a politician's overall message. Clap-o-meter software is also available for computers and mobile devices. The software uses the device's
microphone A microphone, colloquially called a mic or mike (), is a transducer that converts sound into an electrical signal. Microphones are used in many applications such as telephones, hearing aids, public address systems for concert halls and publ ...
or audio input to determine the level of applause.


Authenticity

Quite often a clap-o-meter is a complete sham, having no real sound measuring equipment at all. It is, instead, manipulated by a person, based on their estimation of the audience reaction. This is normally done semi-openly, with the audience under little or no illusion that the clap-o-meter is genuine. This was apparently the case on ''Opportunity Knocks'', where the clap-o-meter was not used to actually determine the winners and was disclaimed with the phrase "Remember, folks! The clap-o-meter is just for fun!".


Alternatives

A number of alternatives to the clap-o-meter exist. A studio audience can be polled by a simple
show of hands Show of Hands is an English acoustic roots/ folk duo formed in 1986 by singer-songwriter Steve Knightley (guitars, mandolin, mandocello, cuatro) and composer and multi-instrumentalist Phil Beer (vocals, guitars, violin, viola, mandolin, mando ...
, or for more visual impact by having them hold up different coloured cards indicating their vote. They can also be polled by electronic means using individual voting devices with buttons for each option. These options are more accurate than a clap-o-meter but lack the element of excitement generated by frenzied applause. In recent years, phone voting has become the main method of deciding popularity in talent shows. This has the advantage of expanding participation to include the full TV audience. It can also be used in programmes which do not have a studio audience. Phone voting can provide a significant source of additional revenue for the broadcasters from the use of premium rate phone numbers.
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

Bring back the clapometer!
/ref>


See also

* Audience response *
List of measuring devices A measuring instrument is a device to measure a physical quantity. In the physical sciences, quality assurance, and engineering, measurement is the activity of obtaining and comparing physical quantities of real-world objects and events. Es ...


List of TV shows using a clap-o-meter

* ''
Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts ''Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts'' (also known as ''Talent Scouts'') was an American radio and television variety show which ran on CBS from 1946 until 1958. Sponsored by Lipton Tea, it starred Arthur Godfrey, who was also hosting ''Arthur Godf ...
'' (US) (1948–1958) * ''
Queen for a Day ''Queen for a Day'' is an American radio and television game show that helped to usher in American listeners' and viewers' fascination with big-prize giveaway shows. ''Queen for a Day'' originated on the Mutual Radio Network on April 30, 1945, i ...
'' (US) (1956–1964) * ''Opportunity Knocks'' (UK) (1956–1990) * ''
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' was an American late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson on NBC, the third iteration of the ''Tonight Show'' franchise. The show debuted on October 1, 1962, and aired its final episode on May 22, ...
'' (US) (1962–1992) * '' Late Night with David Letterman'' (US) (1982–1993) * '' Kids' Court'' (US) (1988–1989) * '' Late Show with David Letterman'' (US) (1993–2015) * ''
The Slammer ''The Slammer'' (also known as ''The Slammer Returns'' for its final two series) is a children's talent show sitcom that was broadcast on BBC One and CBBC from 22 September 2006 until 26 July 2014. Set in a fictional prison called HM Slammer, ...
'' (UK) (2006–2015)


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clap-O-Meter Measuring instruments Body percussion Audience measurement