ITV web chat proves election debate winner

ITV.com had its biggest ever live online chat audience last night for the UK’s first ever televised election debate between the leaders of the three main parties.

The broadcaster said more than 20,000 used the live chat tool on its website and nearly 50,000 people watched the live video stream. A 'sentiment' tracker provided by Tweetminster gauged the approval or disapproval of a selected group of 20 Twitter users during the debate.

But ITV is not the only broadcaster to use new technology to try to capture the public's reaction to the performances of David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Gordon Brown.

Sky has partnered with survey company Fizzback to conduct SMS polls. The electorally representative panel answered questions via text before, during and after the debate.

Voters also used other social-media tools such as Twitter and Facebook, sending thousands of comments passing judgment on the politicians’ performances.

With all this information being analysed in real time, Nick Clegg’s performance impressed viewers enough to make him the clear winner of the first debate.

With two election debates scheduled over the next two weeks, Labour, the Tories and Lib Dems will be anxious to see how their leaders fare.

Analysts will be looking to see the influence that social media has had on the way people vote when it comes to polling day.