| When most people think about 900 numbers
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| | the use of a 900 number in conjunction
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| for television, they usually think about
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| | with a television audience participation
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| those ads with girls in hot tubs that
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| | event. If the December ABC's Wide World
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| have been seen on American television
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| | of Sports is any indication, television
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| since 1987. This is true despite the
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| | viewers still like the ease of
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| fact that AT&T and MCI have not allowed
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| | participating via a 900 number.
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| adult entertainment on 900 numbers for
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| | ABC's Marshall's Figure Skating Challenge
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| many years.
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| | allowed viewers a chance to vote for the
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| The fact is it was television that
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| | best male and female figure skater during
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| actually made 900 numbers a reality in
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| | the two hour show. Viewers were
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| the first place. 900 numbers were first
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| | permitted to vote for free online or pay
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| used on television when ABC wanted a way
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| | 75 cents to vote via a 900 number or via
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| to gauge public opinion of who won the
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| | text message.
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| 1980 presidential debate between
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| | Viewers cast over 105,000 votes during
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| President Jimmy Carter and then Governor
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| | the event. The free online version
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| Ronald Reagan. Viewers chose the
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| | garnered the most votes, but only
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| Californian and both a new presidency and
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| | slightly ahead of the 900 number. Text
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| a new technology were launched.
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| | messaging was a distant third.
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| Years later, those zanies from Saturday
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| | "We were surprised the 900 number did so
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| Night Live got in the television 900
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| | well, quite frankly," said Brad Bierman,
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| number act as well. Host Eddie Murphy
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| | of Advanced Telecom Services--the service
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| polled the viewing audience on whether to
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| | bureau that handled the 900 number voting
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| boil Larry the Lobster or spare its life.
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| | application. "It shows television
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| The sympathetic viewers chose to spare
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| | audiences still like the convenience of
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| the crustacean, but Murphy boiled Larry
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| | participating by 900 numbers. The
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| anyway.
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| | amazing thing is that the 900 number got
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| Today, interactive text messaging is the
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| | almost as many votes as the free online
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| newest rage for polling television
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| | voting did."
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| audiences. It's quick, easy, and the
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| | Clearly, the successful use of the 900
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| viewer doesn't even have to get up from
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| | number in the figure skating challenge
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| the couch to dial like in the 900
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| | emphasizes that 900 numbers still have a
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| number days. Moreover, text messaging
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| | place in television broadcasts. It makes
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| can be either standard rate (free to the
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| | one wonder why television doesn't use 900
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| television viewer) or premium rate (where
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| | numbers more often.
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| the viewer pays a fee to participate).
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| | Maybe it's those girls in hot tubs that
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| Hence, text messaging can be become a new
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| | still linger in the minds of television
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| profit center for the television station.
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| | executives.
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| But, clearly there's still a place for
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