ComRes

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ITV News

Multiple-methodology public opinion research on the night of the first 2010 leaders debate.

As credits rolled on the first 2010 leaders debate, we conducted an automated telephone voting intention poll (including five question units) with a sample of 4,000 viewers of the programme in 15 minutes. This went to air on the 10 o’clock news immediately following the debate, with reaction from Lord Ashdown and Alistair Campbell recorded live at the debate venue. 

During the debate we also conducted worm polling with 20 undecided voters in Bolton. We provided handsets and the necessary back end technology and analysis to allow ITV News to assess in real time which of the leaders’ statements were most popular, and which were unpopular. The full record of this worm polling was made available on the ITV website.

Our text message polling facility involves providing a dedicated telephone number, and a range of codes. Respondents can be told to text one of these codes to the telephone number to answer a pre-set question. We used this facility during the evening of the leaders debate to test in advance which leader Westminster insiders predicted would win the debate, during the debate which was winning, and after the debate which had won, in order to show how views changed.

ComRes is currently conducting an ongoing programme of public opinion polling titled “The Cuts Index” on behalf of ITV News. This consists of semi-weekly online public opinion polls of more than 2,000 GB adults, examining changes attitudes to public spending cuts with a set of consistent tracking questions, as well as examining the most important economic issues of the week with changing topical questions. This series requires careful constant monitoring of political and economic developments and close liaison with senior ITV journalists.