Where DO those calls go?

Every newsroom has one; a voicemail where viewers can leave their story ideas. A blessing to newsroom employees who feel they are too busy to listen to someone ramble on for 10 minutes then say; "Oh, I don't want my face or name on TV".  Well, that should be an interesting, faceless story.

The only people in the newsroom who hate the voicemail box are Assignment Mangers (me) and interns.  We are the ones who have to go through them and listen.  Interns are actually required to write down all their info and email it off to the higher-ups.  So, feel sorry for them more than me.  Plus the fact that they don't get paid.

But now I started a blog and I can share them with you. Talk about your low-hanging fruit.  Let me rundown a list of recent messages:

"This is how the country can get out of the deficit; fine all those bastards who don't use their GOD DAM BLINKERS!!!"

This guy was pissed!!  I'm guessing he just got cut off or almost rear-ended someone who didn't use their blinker. I like to put myself in the callers shoes: "Hey, that guy just cut me off...I'M CALLING THE F*CKING TV STATION TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS WORLD!!!"  Yea, that sounds like a great idea.  I should mention, he sounded drunk.  But, is that surprising?  Next.

This message is a little more sensitive; "My son was beaten up in prison by a guard and I need some help!".

Really, what am I going to do about this?  It isn't that I don't believe him, but these stories are next to impossible to do.  First of all, not many people are going to feel sorry for inmates.  When we go on TV with a story seeking sympathy for an inmate, it is just going to piss people off.  Then I have to hear from them and that leads to more time wasted.

Secondly, I'm going to end up with second hand information against the word of the warden.  I can already send you that quote. Let's move on to the next one.

"My mother lives on a dirt road and everytime it rains the road gets washed out.  We need some help."

My response to these calls is not exactly politically correct; "then move off the dirt road!"  I don't know how else to answer these calls. There are too many dirt roads in our viewing area and I think 80% of the people living on them want them paved...or fixed in some capacity.  When you moved into the home I'm guessing the road wasn't paved.  What made you think that was going to change?

I'll wrap this up with one that pops up on our voice mail once a month.

"This message is for _______ _____.  Please have Mr. _________ call us back as soon as possible..."

A former employee has the creditors after him and he gave them the number to our voicemail.  Smart move on his part.

Remember, whenever in doubt, call your local newsroom and I'm sure they can fix whatever your problem is.