Is Texting the Next American Idol?

Is Texting the Next American Idol?

Is Texting the Next American Idol?

By  Michael Perini, ABC
Perini & Associates

Text or text messaging.  You know those brief written exchanges between mobile and portable devices over cellular networks?  And yes, texting today includes words, images, video, and sound content.

So, do you text?  If so, you are known as a texter.  If you don’t you might be considered “old schoolâ€.

Here are some facts for those of you who need them:

1. Text messaging, which had its roots in 1992, is the most widely used mobile data service, with 74% of all mobile phone users worldwide or 2.4 billion out of 3.3 billion phone subscribers at end of 2007 being active users of the Short Message Service (SMS) the official name for texting.

2. From urbanites to grandfathers; from businesses to first-responders, it seems that everyone is text messaging.  According to both the Mobile Marketing Association and Pew Internet & American Life Project Surveys, 80% of U.S. Mobile phone users text.  CTIA, the Wireless Association, reports that the average number of text messages sent per subscriber per month was 188.

With the addition of voting on the television program American Idol many Americans for the first time were introduced to SMS.  Ok, you can confess, have you voted on this show or other TV or on-line programs?   If so, I would like to know why.

An obvious question:  Why post about text messaging if it is so routine?  Text messaging has many public relations implications – some positive and some not so.  I think we all need to understand the merits and pitfalls of this new phenomenon as it grows into the fabric of our daily lives.

1.  Addiction. Results from various studies have concluded that the most addictive digital service on mobile or the Internet is texting.  The text reception habit introduces a need to remain connected, called “Reachability,” according to the authors of 3G marketing: communities and strategic partnerships.

2. Wide Social Impact. Let me spend a little time on this point.  Text messaging has made possible new forms of interaction from bullying to law and crime. As a result, the use of text messaging has been banned in many schools.  Police have retrieved deleted messages as evidence.

Texting has been used in politics and to gather large crowds resulting in riots.  Text messaging has had a major impact on the political world also.  American campaigns find that text messaging is a much easier, cheaper way of getting to the voters than the door to door approach.

Several universities have implemented a system of texting students and faculties’ campus alerts.   One such example is Penn State.

There are examples of texting in politics and security concerns.  Security experts advise SMS should not be used for confidential communication.

And, we all know Tiger Wood’s texting was highlighted during his infidelity.  “Sexting†is slang for the act of sending sexually explicit or suggestive content between mobile devices using SMS. Celebrities such as Miley Cyrus, Vanessa Hudgens, and Adrienne Bailon have been victims of such abuses of texting.

There are other social impacts from texting:
• A person can carry out a conversation with another user without the constraint of being expected to reply within a short amount of time, and without needing to set time aside to engage in conversation.
• Mobile phone users can now maintain communication during situations in which a voice call is impractical, impossible, or unacceptable.

In the last year, not surprising, text messaging has become popular for business purposes. From club owners and associations who can quickly reach opt-in subscribers, to stockbrokers communicating with investors.

And what about our thumbs?  Texting even affects them! Medical reports indicate that excessive use of the thumb for pressing keys on mobile devices is leading to a form of repetitive strain injury termed “Blackberry thumb.”

3. Effect on language. The small phone keypad has caused a number of adaptations to spelling and use of abbreviations. IMO (in my opinion), FWIW (for what it’s worth), IIRC (if I remember correctly) and FYI (for your information).

In addition, the idea that WORDS IN UPPER CASE MEAN WE ARE SHOUTING, while lower case writing is the accepted form is another impact from earlier technology (emails and internet chat rooms) that now have found a way to texting.

Various Website portals have supported a community of users in standardizing text speak by allowing users to submit translations, staking claim with their user handle, or submitting messages and guessing lingo phrases. Tryout Transl8lit, for example.  Remember vanity plates?  Same thing, but electronic.

The use of text messaging has changed the way that people talk and write essays. In November 2006, New Zealand Qualifications Authority allowed students of secondary schools to use mobile phone text language in the end of the year exam papers. However, at this point, linguistic experts seem to agree that the notion that text language is widespread or harmful has no basis in fact.

Text messaging has also Americanized some of the world’s languages with English, according to The New Yorker.

The use of diacritic marks has dropped in languages such as French, as well as symbols in Ethiopian languages.

American popular culture is also recognized in text shorthand. For example, Homer Simpson translates into: ~(_8^(|).

4. Texting while driving. Texting while driving leads to increased distraction behind the wheel. A 2009 study finds texting while driving increases the risk of crashing by 23 times.

Another 2009 study at the University of Utah showed that texters had a “substantial” increase in the risk of a crash because texting “requires drivers to switch their attention from one task to the other.”

Many states have adopted laws prohibiting texting while driving. Colorado is just one example of a state that has issued a ticket for texting.

Finally, what about texting etiquette?

America’s twentieth century etiquette guru, Emily Post, has a list of “do’s and don’ts”.

“You shouldn’t use text messaging when informing someone of sad news, business matters, or urgent meetings, unless it’s to set up a phone call on the subject,†according to the Emily Post website.

So, as you can see, texting has many public relations ramifications. With the way the texting trend is going will a texter with a mobile device in his/her hand texting the words of a song be the next American Idol instead of a singer with a microphone or guitar?

Press #1234 to vote YES.   Press # 1235 to vote NO!

wud U pls comment. thx.