Cartoon insulted telephone solicitors

To the Editor:

Bob Schochet’s cartoon in the August 10 issue provides an illustration of Satan overlooking a telephone center and claiming credit for the invention of telemarketing. I find it ironic that the leading newspaper of the non-profit sector would so negatively portray a legitimate tool used by so many worthy, respectable organizations.

While the telephone can be used in inappropriate and offensive ways, when used properly it is a medium that can achieve great monetary results and help develop the bond between donors and the organizations they support.

Consider the following:

• A report issued by Independent Sector found that 25 percent of those surveyed said that the mere act of receiving a telephone call was either important or very important to their decision to support a given organization.
• A.A.R.P. finds that, among people age 25 and older, four out of five give in response to either direct mail or telephone.
• The Indiana University Center for Philanthropy reports that most non-profit organizations are optimistic about the future of telephone fund raising because it works.

Slamming an effective medium and insulting people who believe in God by saying they are doing Satan’s work if they use telemarketing do nothing to help the development profession or the non-profit sector. If The Chronicle wants to do a responsible journalistic job, it should recognize sound telephone fund-raising programs while reserving negative comments for specific practices that are unethical.

Michael J. Rosen
Direct-response consultant
Philadelphia