Opinion Polls Roundup

In general, I track news and opinions via Google Reader subscriptions. Occasionally I do find new content worthy of subscription by accident, as I landed on Business Standard's website today. Noticed that there was an opinion poll on - what else - IPL auctions. That triggered the curiosity to know about media polls that were centered around IPL. While I get to see opinion polls on TV channels during my dinner time, online polls would not catch my attention, in general.

Attempted a quick search for polls in 13 media websites (of English news/business channels and newspapers)

• I still can't believe that Headlines Today does not have a website. All I could find was this page. If somebody find its website, please point me to it.
• I could not locate any polls on 2 sites - The Hindu and NDTV Profit (the latter is surprising!)
  

That leaves 10 websites. At the end of it, I'm compelled to present a list of special mentions in order to share my thrills and spoils.

[Links to the websites are presented towards the end of the post]

Out of the 10 sites that I checked,

• The Abuse-conscious Poll Master: The Times of India - The only poll that was CAPTCHA-enabled (I've now spent close to four years of my career in anti-spam. Can't help being excited by such anti-abuse considerations)
• The Intrusive Poll Master: Times Now - Strangely, this mention too goes to the Times Group. Two polls are run under the names 'Opinion Polls' and 'Now Quiz'. To participate in either of them, you MUST enter your Name and e-mail (The polls are gracious enough to put Contact No. and Date of Birth as optional fields)
• The Discriminatory Poll Master: The Indian Express - Along with the answer options, you have to select one of the (India, USA, UK, UAE, Australia) options from the "I live in" drop-down list. I don't understand why anyone from rest of the countries should not participate in its polls
• The Torturous Poll Master: Hindustan Times - The unassuming poll is buried as a mere link in the home page mess. Click on the link to get the questions. Don't be satisfied yet! Though I clicked on the answer and pressed 'Submit', I abandoned the results after losing patience over the 'whirl' that followed.
  
• The Show-Me-The-Money Poll Master: Deccan Chronicle - No surprise! Though its website is titled as 'Deccan Chronicle on the Web', you are not allowed to respond to its polls 'on the web'. Send SMS-es. If you are too interested in expressing your opinion, spend some paisa on an SMS and let me get my cut - DC seems to suggest.
• The Swindler Poll Master: CNBC TV18 - It disappoints me to mention one of the few watchable TV channels under this category. After I took the time and effort to read, understand, form my opinion and respond to the poll, the damned site gives a blunt "Thank you for participating in this Poll" - no mention whatsoever about the results. Didn't I deserve a better treatment?
• The Sensible Poll Master: DD News - Surprise! Surprise! The only poll that gives the 'Total Votes' (in addition to the percentages for each option) in its poll results. (Ok. I lied. Times Now's 'Now Quiz' poll too gives the count of votes. But I do not like the fact that the site runs two polls under confusing names and presents the polls results inconsistently)
  

Coming to the nature of the 11 poll questions (remember, Times Now had 2 polls), 6 were centered around IPL. I am now convinced that CNN-IBN's QOTD emerges as the outrageously crassest question on the development.

Read as [Website - Poll Question - Options]

1. The Times of India - The IPL will kill cricket the way we know it - Agree, Disagree, Can't Say
   
2. Times Now (Now Quiz) - Will IPL match its inspiration and the more glamourous English Premier League? - Yes, No
   
3. The Indian Express - Will you watch the IPL cricket matches? - Yes, No, Can't Say
4. The Economic Times - Do you think bidding for cricketers is justified? - Yes, No, Can't Say
5. Business Standard - Is the IPL process of bidding for players good for cricket? - Yes, No
6. NDTV 24x7 - Do you think IPL will be successful? - Yes, No, Can't Say
   
7. DD News - Do you think Team India will win the triangular ODI series involving Australia and Sri Lanka? - Yes, No
8. Hindustan Times - Are not compensations under the law very low for accident victims? - Yes, No, Can't Say
   
9. Deccan Chronicle - Should Zardari unite with Musharraf? - Yes, No
10. CNBC TV18 - Do you see the profit booking continue in the markets? - Yes, No, Can't Say
11. Times Now (Opinion Polls) - Will Zardari and Sharif join hands to overthrow dictatorship in Pak? - Yes, No