Perception Analyzer Utilized by TV Networks in National Presidential Debates

Perception Analyzer Utilized by TV Networks in National Presidential Debates

PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- American voters watching televised debates this presidential election season have been able to follow reaction of their peers on selected networks with the help of a proven hand-held dial technology that has been used to elicit and measure audience feedback in a variety of industries for nearly 25 years.

This device is known as the Perception Analyzer(R) and it was developed by MSInteractive in 1984. It has been used during every domestic election cycle, and many international ones, during that span. It has become the standard way by which data is collected from political and public policy-oriented focus groups.

Over time, the Perception Analyzer has helped its clients shape and choose television advertisements, messages and positions as well as evaluating speech and debate performance from one or more candidates.

Live, real-time Perception Analyzer results have been seen on CNN during the three 2008 presidential debates and the one vice presidential debate. These results have been used for post-debate discussion and analysis not only on CNN but on MSNBC, FOX News, CBS News and other major television networks. The Perception Analyzer has been used on CNN in conjunction with MSInteractive clients Dan Schill, Ph.D. and Rita Kirk, Ph.D. in the Division of Corporate Communications & Public Affairs at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

"It has given television viewers tremendous insight into what their fellow Americans like and don't like about candidate responses to specific questions and has also given a glimpse into the world of political research," said David Paull, vice president for MSInteractive in Portland.

The Perception Analyzer consists of wireless, hand-held dials used by focus group respondents to give real-time feedback to what they are watching. A receiver connected to a computer works with software to poll the dials once per second and plot the results as a line graph for real-time viewing.

Other question types (including categorical and attitudinal) and research methodologies (including conjoint analysis) are also available and are often used in research sessions to gauge respondents' before and after opinions and to get their feedback on a wide range of topics and issues.

The Perception Analyzer has been used to generate audience feedback and response in several other industries as well, including by television networks for TV pilots, law firms and legal consultants for mock trials, as part of meetings and conferences for audience participation, panel feedback and more.

"It's an efficient, high-impact tool that measures opinions, satisfaction and provides real-time data for fast decision-making," Paull said. "Time and time again it has been proven the world over to provide a high return on investment."

About the Perception Analyzer and MSInteractive

The Perception Analyzer is an interactive feedback tool that allows researchers, moderators, speakers, presenters, instructors and event organizers to elicit instant, honest and unbiased feedback from a group through the use of wireless hand-held dials. It is the worldwide standard technology for collecting data from groups and is ideally suited for use in political campaigns, focus groups, media testing, litigation consulting, meetings and conferences, as part of corporate training sessions and more.

Based in Portland, Ore., MSInteractive oversees the development, manufacturing, sales, rentals and services of the Perception Analyzer dial-group system. MSInteractive is a division of Market Strategies International, one of the world's largest market research and consulting firms, located in Livonia, Mich. Learn more at www.perceptionanalyzer.com .

Source: MSInteractive

CONTACT: Mike DeVilling, +1-248-875-4207, mike@decusllc.com, for
MSInteractive; or David Paull of MSInteractive, +1-503-416-8505,
David.Paull@perceptionanalyzer.com

Web site: http://www.perceptionanalyzer.com/

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