SMS Y to 0420 if you enjoyed reading this satiricle. SMS N to 0420 if you feel its crap.

Rajdeep Sardesai - Good evening viewers, this is Rajdeep Sardesai, welcoming you to News at 10 with me and Sagarika. Tonight we will be focusing on SMS polls and discussing weather they are money-making scams or genuine tools of democracy. But first the main headlines for today. Headline #1.. blah blah blah..Headline # 10

Our top story for tonight is weather the proliferation of SMS polls on television channels is a sign of vibrancy of our democracy or are these polls just an excuse to earn easy money by the TV channels. As usual we have got two set of panel of experts, one which will argue for the former case and the other set will argue for the latter. As usual both of them will fail to concur and we will let you viewers decide which one of them is right.

Sagarika - So our question of the day is - "Are SMS polls just money-making scams, just an extra source of revenue for television channels? If your answer is yes, SMS Y to 5252 and if your answer is no, SMS N to 5252. At the end of the discussion, we will present the results of the poll.

Rajdeep - Let me introduce you to our panel. On the extreme right, we have prominent media critic Mrs.Neelima Azmi and besides her we have Mr. Sameer Honda, head of finance for Star network.

Mrs. Azmi, we will start with you. You have been very critical of the SMS polling culture and have dubbed it as a money-making scam. What do you have to say about the argument that such polls are vital new tools for our democracy allowing the citizens of our country to air their views and participate in opinion-making process. Why don't you look at the brighter side of the picture instead of taking a very cynical view that these polls serve no purpose save garnering revenues for TV channels?

Mrs. Azmi - You see Rajdeep, I don't buy this argument that a simple Yes/No poll on a television channel can be considered as a barometer of public opinion. There are scores of channels broadcasting several such polls everyday. Does anyone track the results of these polls? Are the results of these polls fed in a database and sent to people who matter. People forget about the results of these polls within moments after the show. Blah Blah Blah..

Mr Honda (interrupting) - Mrs Azmi, we are living in a democracy and in a democracy, politicians do feel the need to know the opinion of people on matters of national importance and SMS polls serve a very vital function. They serve as a link between the decision makers and the voting public...Blah Blah Blah

Mrs. Azmi - I'm not against opinion polls, Mr. Honda. My primary objection to these polls is that the way they are conducted. If the intentions behind these polls are honest and noble, why are viewers charged Rs.5 for a single SMS, nearly five time the general rate? All over the world, opinion polls conducted by media are generally free, conducted mainly through internet. Its only in India where gullible viewers are fooled into paying for voicing their opinions to..Blah Blah Blah.

Mr. Honda - In India, internet usage is not as widespread as mobile phone usage. Besides you can't expect people to log on to the internet when a discussion is going on in order to send their vote. Text messaging is a very convenient way for most people...

Sagarika (butting in) - But Mr. Honda, why charge Rs. 5 for a single sms when the......

Mr. Honda (interrupting) - You know very well, Sagarika, that in India running a news channel is an expensive proposition. News channels don't enjoy as high TRP ratings as general entertainment channels...

Sagarika (getting excited and gesticulating wildy) - But Mr. Honda, your network runs several entertainment channels too where contestants participating in singing contests beg viewers to send them SMS votes. Every show on your network carries such polls. You don't let go of any opportunity to milk every possible avenue to post such polls irrespective of weather these polls serve any purpose or not...

Mr. Honda - Sagarika, through these reality contest shows and SMS polls, Indian public supports small and amateur artists who otherwise would have remain anonymous despite their talent or spend their lifetime struggling trying to make it big....

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Rajdeep - I'm afraid we will have to end this very interesting discussion here as we are completely running out of time. Mrs Neelima Azmi, Mr Sameer Honda, it was a pleasure having you on our show. Thank you, both of you for coming on the show and sharing with us your valuable opinion on this matter.

Sagarika - Now its the time for the results of our SMS polls. Our viewers have voted and made their decision. As you can see on your television screens, a whopping 94% of our viewers agree with a view that SMS polls are just a money-making exercise. Our viewers have sent a strong message to television channels that they have had enough of these polls and don't trust them anymore.

Rajdeep - But before leaving, we have a startling revelation to make. Tonight's show has set a new record. We have received a record number of SMS votes for tonight's discussion, over 15000 votes which is nearly 3 times the usual number we get. Its very obvious that our viewers feel very strongly against the excessive use of SMS polling by television channels and have voiced very strongly their displeasure.

Thank you viewers for watching the show and voicing your opinions. This is me, Rajdeep, (and me, Sagarika) signing off from the show. Goodnight & Goodbye.