Read a few articles on how to conduct polls and get back to me when you've got a handle on your attitude problem.
Ian and I are both aware of how negative and positive wording can skew a poll. *golf clap* good for you for being aware of it as well.
Yes, wording is important. Yes, this poll was skewed to make people MORE inclined to vote either of the YES answers.
This poll is worded to make it clear that if someone votes "No, I liked it" that they REALLY mean it, becuase they poll is worded against them choosing that option.
If I can be accused of being a "cock" on anything... It's that I want to show Ian how very clear it is to a lot of listeners what a GOOD Free Talk Live episode is, and what a bad one is.
The discussion he and I are having, is this... I expressed that although *I* liked the Landmark show... I could see how people wouldn't like it... and I could also see how a different approach would needed to be taken to make that into really "good" radio for a broader audience of listeners.
This is part of my longer running and broader campaign to prove to Ian without a doubt the importance of including more content that comes in the form of storytelling (personal or otherwise) and the inclusion of a larger amount of MOOD control of the show (balancing the serious topics with some lightheartedness within each and every hour of the show to prevent the buildup of a gloomy mood)
This poll had me worried at first... but it is very quickly panning out to show me I was quite correct.
When an esidode of Free Talk Live is GOOD... it's pretty easy to tell, and there is MUCH less division amonst listeners as to when it is good...
Ian liked to think people always complain and praise and there is no way to tell what's good, and it's all just a crapshoot, and to just keep doing whatever.
I'm a little more certain that Free Talk Live tends to be much better radio and more widely liked (as well as exeriencing increased growth rates) during times when the show approaches serious issues in a positive and lighthearted way that isn't too clownish, but still more comical and entertaining than simply serious and informative.
In the long run, I'm gunning to prove that a better balance between lightheartedness and seriousness needs to be struck in order to appeal to the widest audience in a manner that will insure the fastest growth rate. I don't believe this requires any changes in the subject matter that Free Talk Live covers, I believe that it's simply a matter of a few subtle changes with regards to approach about certain subjects.
I also don't make any claim to boasting that I have never fallen into the negative pattern of making the show to slow or serious... (I've certainly contributed my share) I'm just campaigning to make Ian - as the director of the show, more aware of how mood can affect the quality of the program.