Clap-o-meter

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.

[3] In 1989, Green unsuccessfully attempted to sue the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation for copyright infringement over a similar programme.

[citation needed] 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!

A studio audience can be polled by a simple show of hands, or for more visual impact by having them hold up different coloured cards indicating their vote.

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.