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1 February 2007
Public hijack SMS crime poll
BY
KIMBERLY GUEST
, IWEEK SENIOR JOURNALIST
READ IN THIS STORY:
[
Johannesburg, 1 February 2007
] -
A poll intended to test opinion on SA's crime rate has escaped the clutches of organiser SABC 2 and turned into an uncontrolled call to action from the public.
As the week started, several reports emerged of an SMS doing the rounds calling on people to voice their concerns of the country's crime rate. Over the weekend, people throughout SA received and forwarded an SMS reading: “If u think crime is out of control in this country please SMS YES to 33588 for a survey for the Tim Modise TV show. Please forward this to as many people as possible to prove Mbeki wrong STAND UP TO CRIME [sic].”
The SABC 2 and its wireless application service provider, Marketel, say that while an opinion poll on the level of SA's crime was running for the Lekgotleng le Modise show, the SMS campaign did not originate from the company.
Marketel MD Paulo Do Carmo explains: “Every week an opinion poll is put up on a particular issue that [talk show host] Tim Modise will discuss during his show. We aggregate the votes and opinions received via SMS on behalf of SABC, but we are not involved in the marketing of each poll – that is done by the SABC,” he says.
The SABC uses its own facilities to advertise the show, promoting each poll in television adverts prior to the weekly show, encouraging respondents to agree or disagree with the statement, as well as welcoming comments which are aired during the show, he adds.
A source within the SABC has separated the company from the viral campaign, saying it does not embark on SMS campaigns encouraging only one response.
Public participation
Without a source to point to, organisers believe a member of the public must have noticed the adverts and decided to take additional action.
Finweek's marketing guru, Tony Koenderman, explains: “Crime is a highly emotive topic at this time and it appears as if this poll has been picked up and taken over by the public. With viral campaigns like this it just happens on its own and there's nothing that can be done to change or direct its focus.”
One member of the public says he received the SMS, responded and then forwarded it to about 40 people. “Crime is impacting on our lives and we all want the same thing,” he explains.
Do Carmo says the company has been overwhelmed by the response to the poll, receiving an unprecedented 400 000 responses.
Just say yes
Meanwhile, Koenderman says the SMS was worded emotively, encouraging an affirmative response as would be expected from a public campaign. This is technically out of kilter with survey principles, which give respondents the opportunity to respond with “yes” or “no” rather than “yes” or no response.
“Unfortunately, because this survey was not done properly, it gives government an escape hatch. It was not conducted in line with statistical principals and, therefore, is not professionally valid and does not require credence or response,” he adds.
Koenderman says government should still pay attention if the numbers are as considerable as suggested.
As the week started, several reports emerged of an SMS doing the rounds calling on people to voice their concerns of the country's crime rate. Over the weekend, people throughout SA received and forwarded an SMS reading: “If u think crime is out of control in this country please SMS YES to 33588 for a survey for the Tim Modise TV show. Please forward this to as many people as possible to prove Mbeki wrong STAND UP TO CRIME [sic].”
The SABC 2 and its wireless application service provider, Marketel, say that while an opinion poll on the level of SA's crime was running for the Lekgotleng le Modise show, the SMS campaign did not originate from the company.
Marketel MD Paulo Do Carmo explains: “Every week an opinion poll is put up on a particular issue that [talk show host] Tim Modise will discuss during his show. We aggregate the votes and opinions received via SMS on behalf of SABC, but we are not involved in the marketing of each poll – that is done by the SABC,” he says.
The SABC uses its own facilities to advertise the show, promoting each poll in television adverts prior to the weekly show, encouraging respondents to agree or disagree with the statement, as well as welcoming comments which are aired during the show, he adds.
A source within the SABC has separated the company from the viral campaign, saying it does not embark on SMS campaigns encouraging only one response.
Public participation
Without a source to point to, organisers believe a member of the public must have noticed the adverts and decided to take additional action.
Finweek's marketing guru, Tony Koenderman, explains: “Crime is a highly emotive topic at this time and it appears as if this poll has been picked up and taken over by the public. With viral campaigns like this it just happens on its own and there's nothing that can be done to change or direct its focus.”
One member of the public says he received the SMS, responded and then forwarded it to about 40 people. “Crime is impacting on our lives and we all want the same thing,” he explains.
Do Carmo says the company has been overwhelmed by the response to the poll, receiving an unprecedented 400 000 responses.
Just say yes
Meanwhile, Koenderman says the SMS was worded emotively, encouraging an affirmative response as would be expected from a public campaign. This is technically out of kilter with survey principles, which give respondents the opportunity to respond with “yes” or “no” rather than “yes” or no response.
“Unfortunately, because this survey was not done properly, it gives government an escape hatch. It was not conducted in line with statistical principals and, therefore, is not professionally valid and does not require credence or response,” he adds.
Koenderman says government should still pay attention if the numbers are as considerable as suggested.
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