Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Return on Complaint
byThe San Francisco Chronicle is doing more than listening to its readers when they sound off. Forget the classic letter to the editor. SFGate.com editors now are actually making audio files and podcasts out of some of their more vocal readers’ comments (or complaints) in a new section called “Correct me if I’m wrong.”
The now infamous voicemail that launched this section was on the topic of “pilotless drone.”
In a lengthy voicemail message, the anonymous caller berated the SFGate.com editors.
“Is there any other kind of drone than a pilotless drone? Is there any other type of drone? Drone. Drone. Don’t you check these things? Pilotless airplane! Drone! Drone. Drone. Not pilotless drone. Get it? Is it sinking into your thick skull?”
SFGate.com editors said, in a New York Times online interview on Jan. 29th, that this new content is all about “being more lively” and “listening to your readers,” some of whom found this content “strange” while others found it “hysterically funny.”
This clip now has even found new virtual life via YouTube.
And that may suggest to readers, watch what you say and how you say it—you never know how far and wide your comments may be rebroadcast.
