Livestation tested Live Panel in the Al Jazeera English chat room this evening and it was a great success.

Now, all Livestation’s partner broadcasters can use the tool to ask their global, broadband viewers a question related to the live TV or radio broadcast that is being aired.

The broadcaster sets the question and multichoice answers and sets the time people have to vote. About 60 seconds seems to work fine.

When they make the vote live, a small panel (Live Panel) appears in the bottom right of the viewer’s computer screen (see below)

After everyone has voted, the result is displayed in the same place (see below).

This one was just a test, but it was good to see so many people participating.

Of course it’s just a poll, and not an accurate reflection of public opinion, but it is a tool that can be used to add another dimension to how broadcasters use interactivity to engage with their audience.

The Riz Khan show on Al Jazeera English used Livestation’s Live Panel for the first time yesterday in a discussion about human rights in Gaza. The guest was Richard Falk, the UN’s Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories.

During the show, Riz told the audience that he was going to ask a Live Panel question. As he did, the question popped up at the bottom right of the PC screen being used by all Livestation viewers.

The poll was set for 180 seconds after which the result was published in a graphic on the computer screens of all the Livestation viewers who were watching the show.

It’s another first, but the indications are that the Riz Khan show will be using Live Panel in the future. Other broadcasters should take note and follow the lead.

Livestation’s Live Panel had two more successful outings yesterday during Al Jazeera’s inauguration coverage. Our interactive tool was used for the first time last week by Al Jazeera’s Rob Reynolds.

Yesterday Al Jazeera used Live Panel to gauge opinion about the hopes for Obama’s presidency and the results show that our viewers have high expectations.

When over 550 people were asked whether the Obama presidency will bring about real change, 52% said yes. The second question asked what his top priority should be and 76% said Palestine/Israel.

All viewers tuned into Al Jazeera English were presented with a question that appeared at the bottom right hand corner of the screen.

The results were read out live on-air. It was pretty cool to see our technology being used on such a historic day.

Jari

Livestation, the destination for live broadcasting over broadband, has built a broadcaster’s tool kit to enable its partner broadcasters to interact with a live TV audience in real time.

The tool kit is currently being tested by partner channel Al Jazeera English and used on the Riz Khan show

The Livestation tool kit includes:

Live Chat moderation tools

This enables broadcasters to moderate the live chat taking place around their live programmes being streamed on Livestation.

Programme producers have always been able to enter the Livestation chat room attached to their live streaming in order to stimulate debate and invite viewer contributions. This has been used regularly by the Riz Khan production team to draw questions, add perspective and engage the audience in the live debate.

Now those programme producers are able to warn or silence offenders in order to maintain standards of taste and decency and limit the likelihood of offence and flooding (repeat posting).

Live Panel

The tools include the ability to send out instant polls and encourage viewers to vote on the key question being addressed by a programme.

Producers set the question and multi-choice answers and set a time limited. Once the Live Panel is sent a pop up appears on each viewers screen and they are able to vote. When the poll closes a new graphic pops up with the result. Real-time, instant, interactive feedback from a global broadband audience.

Programme Alerts

The third tool in the broadcasters’ pack is the ability to send out alerts when a show is coming up which involves viewer participation. This enables broadcasters to invite people to join the chat, participate in the live show and take part in any polls.

Livestation viewers watching a live debate between Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his challenger in the forthcoming election Mir-Hossein Mousavi voted in favour of the challenger during and at the end of the 90 minutes event.

Thousands watched the debate live on Livestation and hundreds of viewers took part in a live, instant chat as the two candidates set out their position. Half way through the debate, Press TV producers took a poll of how the candidates had fared.

In the first poll, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad polled 31% of the vote with Mir-Hossein Mousavi winning 47%, with 22% undecided.

In the second poll, as the debate drew to a close, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad polled 38% of the vote with Mir-Hossein Mousavi winning 49%, leaving 13% undecided.

Press TV is the latest channel to join Livestation. You can download the Livestation player free of charge at www.livestation.com