Does ABC-7 Eyewitness News Really Want My Opinion, or For Me to Watch the News?

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Yesterday, I wrote about people representing a sketchy magazine subscription company showing up at my door; today, let me tell you about the robocall (or robopoll) that I got from ABC 7’s Eyewitness News station in New York. “Hosted” by Eyewitness News anchor Bill Ritter (right), it asked me who was at fault in the mess in the New York state legislature along with demographic information, and whether I was either a Republican and Democrat, and a conservative, moderate or liberal. It’s the first time I’ve ever been robocalled by a TV station, and it surprised me — I thought most of these polls were more opt-in, with people either taking a poll on a Web site or dialing in themselves to state their opinions.

But then, at the end of the call, it became clear. The point of the robocall was, in part, to get me to watch the show (if I do I watch local news, I tend toward NewsChannel 4). Once the polling was complete, the recorded Ritter came back on the line and told me to tune in to watch the results. Put in the larger context of what’s going on in the local news business, this robopoll makes a certain kind of sense. Think of it as robopoll as media buy; I highly doubt they really care what I think. People aren’t watching as much TV as they used to; local station revenues, according to a report released yesterday from BIA Advisory Services, are predicted to be down by a jaw-dropping 17.3 percent this year — hence, it’s time to set up the robopolls! Reach some people who might not be watching Eyewitness News!

So, when the big moment came last night on the news, did I check in to see what the result was? Um, no.

Tags: News, TVs, Tv & Home Theater, Professional Development, Personal Technology, Home Entertainment, Career, Catharine P. Taylor

Catharine P. Taylor has been covering digital media and advertising for almost 15 years and is a frequent speaker at conferences about media and advertising. She posts daily to BNET Media, writes the weekly Social Media Insider column for Mediapost and also has her own advertising blog, Adverganza.com. Follow her on Twitter or subscribe to the BNET Media Twitter feed.

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1

CarlosBonett

07/03/09 | Report as spam

RE: Does ABC-7 Eyewitness News Really Want My Opinion, or For Me to Watch the News?

Of course that's the point of these "polls" (to boost ratings and a new following). Isn't that the point of all TV programs in the end? Any benefit to the consumer/viewer is consequential.

Reading this post (and yesterday's) however, make it sound like Catharine is angry at these emerging business strategies that are arising out of necessity. You're not gonna pull a fast one on me!

Also, wouldn't the do-not-call registry take care of this? I signed up years ago and haven't been bothered since.
2

CarlosBonett

07/03/09 | Report as spam

RE: Does ABC-7 Eyewitness News Really Want My Opinion, or For Me to Watch the News?

Or maybe CBS folk just likes dissing ABC, NBC, etc.
3

ErikSherman

07/04/09 | Report as spam

RE: Does ABC-7 Eyewitness News Really Want My Opinion, or For Me to Watch the News?

Given that I've seen people on BNET Media and BNET Technology (myself included) criticize CBS, I really don't think that's an issue. Also, given that all of the bloggers to my knowledge are independents, saying "CBS folk" isn't accurate.
4

Cathy Taylor

07/05/09 | Report as spam

RE: Does ABC-7 Eyewitness News Really Want My Opinion, or For Me to Watch the News?

Hi all,

Thanks for the comments. Trust me, I don't consider this to be a "CBS folk" thing. I'm no more inclined to blog about anything CBS does, or doesn't do, positively or negatively, because CBS is a cousin in a decidedly extended family. My track record speaks to that.

To answer your question about whether the do-not-call list takes care of these kinds of calls, it doesn't. I have been registered for years, and this kind of call apparently gets to breach the firewall.

Cathy