How less is more when it comes to modern technology and the pub quiz.

Just because the technology is there doesn't mean you should necessarily use it. You will see in our download area we enclose a Powerpoint presentation for each Q&A pack. This is for venues that have the ability to display their computer screen through their TVs.

We initiated this in response to our customer's wish to show the questions of their TV screens. And for some venues it has been a good addition for several reasons. Towards the end of the night the banter and rowdiness can become so loud as to make it difficult to hear the quiz master. Especially in large venues where there can be many people at the venue who are not attending the quiz or trivia night. Secondly if the TVs are shown outside the immediate quiz area it can help advertise the fact that the pub quiz is taking place. It is another form of in-house advertising.

But we have also noticed in some venues that there have been some negative aspects of putting the questions on TVs.

It is hard to identify why the change occurs. But there is a marked drop in atmosphere. Because the patrons don't have to stop and listen to the quiz master, there is less sense of order. Rather than a group of teams doing the same quiz, it is a group of teams doing a quiz in their own time. The boundaries are lowered, there is less necessity to be quiet when questions are asked as they are also on the TVs.

More importantly with TVs there is less need for co-operation. When the questions are read out without the use of TVs, all the teams can only hear if the other teams keep quiet. Each team relies on the other teams to be quiet at the same time. This co-operation between teams builds some sort of bond that adds to a sense of community and ultimately atmosphere.

Before using TVs to display your questions think carefully about what benefits you want to achieve. If you are using them for use sake, I would suggest you use your TVs for some other purpose rather than for displaying the quiz questions.

So what else can you use you TVs for? Your TVs can be and probably already are used for displaying advertising. If you have a company or supplier sponsoring your quiz night you can sell them on the fact they will get exclusive or extra advertising during actual quiz. You can use the TVs as a electronic scoreboard. Both options enhance the night by using the TVs without detracting from the atmosphere of the night.

I'm sure owners, managers and hosts have found many more positive uses.

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