Sms War

Elmo

TV3 and meteor have a text messaging service for the updates on the war in Iraq.

Do you think this is suitable when txt from the TV3 service cost €2 per message? Do you think it is suitable when people are dying on both sides? Have TV3 and Meteor gone to far.

Has anyone subscribed to any of these services?

(Not sure if this should be in the political forum)

billy the squid

I personaly think its in bad taste if they were to offer the service free it would be a good idea i suppose for information purposes

might be a matter for ComReg or the broadcasting commission

They can't justify making money of people dying in iraq

Dr_Teeth

lol! what, €2 for some dumb message that says "There are still snipers in Umm Qasr" or something? Oh the lameness.

Teeth.

K!LL!@N

Just to clarify, it's €2 for 5 messages.
Why they can't just say 40c per message is beyond me.

How is it in bad taste?
It's providing a news service, all be it a poor one, for a fee.
Should newspapers stop charging for their war coverage?
If you don't like it, don't use it.
Simple as that.

Killian

Gordon

Heh yeah, they would basically just have a text saying "Umm Qasr is secure". They said that again just now and have been saying it sooo many times since they got there.

I can't see what's wrong with it though, it's just news. You pay to watch telly you pay to watch satellite - you pay to get up to date texts. But if you are stupid enough to pay €2 for a text when you can just flick on a radio you deserve what you get.

Would you still have a problem if they had a text service on the latest in Chechnya?

MAC_E

I can feel my once good natured and careing soul been ripped out by sky news. Why oh why does media have such an overwhelming control on our lives.

Victor

I think it is one thing to make a profit selling news, it is another thing to make excess profit selling hyped news.

Elmo

Would you still have a problem if they had a text service on the latest in Chechnya?

No I would not. If the service was always there then I would not have a problem but TV3 and Meteor have just brought out this product to coincide with the war.

Clintons Cat

Channel 4 are offering the same service

The shear genius of paying for the privellege of being force fed the propaganda of the daily press briefings.

Class

Gordon

Originally posted by Elmo
No I would not. If the service was always there then I would not have a problem but TV3 and Meteor have just brought out this product to coincide with the war.

I kinda understand Elmo but you have to realise that if the Chechnya sms happened - it must have started at some point in time. Hence if someone brought out a Chechnya sms some time ago they would have probably brought it out after it all got heated up ie. to coincide with the situation.

conZ

lol.
i wonder what they say...
''turn on TV3 quick - the wars on!!''

Elmo

3 TEXT MESSAGES IS A BIT MUCH.
5.30 6.30 11.

I kinda understand Elmo but you have to realise that if the Chechnya sms happened - it must have started at some point in time. Hence if someone brought out a Chechnya sms some time ago they would have probably brought it out after it all got heated up ie. to coincide with the situation.

How come I don't get text messages about the suitations in Zimbabway (sorry sp). Oh wait its not big news yet.

Gordon

Do you get text messages about Iraq? If you do then you signed up for it, or asked for it. The fact you don't have texts about other wars is because it won't make them money and you haven't signed up for it.

How much does one text message of theirs cost you Elmo, out of curiosity?

Elmo

40c but that not the point.

If I was to get a year round txt service about the news in general I wouldn't have a problem. I am sure I could get this service else were but I think it is terrible that some one could make a money making scheme out of the deaths of others.

Newspapers, TV etc are there year round not just for the war.

Gordon

So hang on let me get this straight....

You are subscribed to an sms that gives you news three times daily about the war on Iraq and you think it is terrible that there is such a service?

Isn't that like saying "I think nuclear bombs are wrong but I want to buy one and use it to kill people". Sorry if that isn't the point and I'm off topic etc.

The Corinthian

Originally posted by K!LL!@N
Just to clarify, it's €2 for 5 messages.
Why they can't just say 40c per message is beyond me.

Premium rate SMS does not really work that way. They could do 30c per SMS but that would barely cover the cost of the response.

If you want to complain, it's TelReg you would complain to, not ComReg, and tbh, I don't think they're doing anything that goes against the TelReg code of practices.

I think ppl should be a little more concerned with the possibility that there is demand for this type of service, than that there is a supply.

Elmo

You are subscribed to an sms that gives you news three times daily about the war on Iraq and you think it is terrible that there is such a service?

I am not subscribed to an sms service of any kind.

No i was joking about the 5.30 6.30 and 11.

I think it is terrible that someone could come up with the idea of a texting service for the war, it makes it look more and more like reality TV. This service is not provided by TV3 or Meteor the whole year round when there are no wars so i find it discusting that they could bring out a service just so they can make money on the war. I would not have a problem if the service was there all of the time.

Gordon

Ah I see.

I'm sure the government of UK, USA and even Ireland doesn't mind as it is a way of dissapating the war to the masses and maybe dissolve some of the gore to get people accustomed to the fact that one exists.

Yeah it is a bad thing for people to make money off a war but,unfortunately, that is the whole essence of war anyway isn't it?

The Corinthian

Originally posted by Gordon
Yeah it is a bad thing for people to make money off a war but,unfortunately, that is the whole essence of war anyway isn't it?

Cicero would be proud of you Gordon...