MTV Networks' Spike TV will let fans of Deadliest Warrior sink their claws into next week's live season finale -- featuring a computer-simulated battle royal between vampires and zombies -- with a real-time voting app.
The network is using the audience-participation system from startup Loyalize to let viewers vote in real-time polls via PCs, iPhone and Android smartphones, and tablets.
Spike TV will debut the feature during the live telecast of Deadliest Warrior on Wednesday, Sept. 14, from 9 to 11:30 p.m. ET. Viewers will be able to access the polling features and apps at http://dwlive.spike.com.
"This is not a ‘text in your vote and sit back and watch' kind of thing. It's a living, breathing tool to gauge the audience sentiment about what they are seeing throughout the show," Spike Digital Entertainment senior vice president Jon Slusser said. "Real-time, visible fan participation has been written in as a key component of this live broadcast."
According to the programmer, a Spike TV host will control Loyalize's Director's Console as part of the live broadcast to create and push real-time polls to audience members. In addition, viewers will be able to see the poll results updated in real time.
Spike TV is the first TV network to use the Loyalize social media platform to engage audiences in real time while measuring audience participation. Loyalize, which has offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles, is a division of privately held Trusted Opinion, which operates a service to let users find restaurant recommendations from their friends.
