Wireless mobile-phone companies on the mainland are learning to make money off the impulses of people who want to voice opinions on air or communicate with disc-jockeys and television hosts.
During the past six months, and particularly the past month, companies with short-messaging service (SMS) capability have partnered with broadcast media to let mobile-phone users communicate with entertainment celebrities, send song requests to disc jockeys, vote in popularity contests and enter quiz shows.
People send SMS to sign up for lucky draws or voice opinions on football matches, or answer television commercials or phone advertisements by keying in a code to download shopping coupons or they can register to receive SMS news bulletins.
A China Mobile-CCTV draw generated 10 million messages during Lunar New Year.
User charges for media services vary from 10 fen to two yuan (about HK$1.87), with the higher rates for messages sent direct to media celebrities.
Jeffrey Spector, business development manager with Shanghai-based Linktone, which has deals with China Central TV channel 3 and TVSN, a nationwide shopping network, said: 'There's definitely a potential [to make money]. Cell phones immediately have an impact.