900 Poll

A 900 poll is a one-question unscientific "survey" that typically is taken by having television viewers or radio listeners call into a 1-900-number that involves a cost to the caller—sometimes a considerable cost. A different 900-number is given for each "response" that the poll allows the self-selected respondents to choose as their answer to whatever the survey question is. These polls are typically sponsored over a brief period of time—often an hour or less, for example, within a television program or shortly after it ends. For example, callers who prefer Contestant A (or Position A on an issue) and those who prefer Contestant B (or Position B on an issue) use separate 900-numbers. It is possible to offer callers more than two answer choices, and ...