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TV phone-ins face new laws

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Published Date: 21 March 2007
TOUGHER laws may be brought in against TV broadcasters who unfairly exploit viewers with premium rate phone-ins, Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said today.
Ms Jowell said that if regulators Ofcom and Icstis were not able to take satisfactory action she would look at giving them more legal powers.

The Minister said she was taking complaints of misleading and exploitative phone-ins very seriously.

She set her stall out as ITV's Dancing on Ice became the latest programme to get caught up in the premium-rate phone-in scandal when phone company Vodafone revealed that 11,500 text votes were not counted during the final on Saturday night.

Ms Jowell said: "My message to the broadcasters is that they must never forget the level of trust that people hold in public service broadcasters and you lose that trust and confidence at your peril."



The full article contains 149 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 21 March 2007 1:35 PM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: ITV
 
1

Justmasel,

21/03/2007 13:35:02

always suspected there all was not right with these,some of the winners names were so unusual they had to be made up.

2

petrol head,

Edinburgh 21/03/2007 13:49:50

Never participated in a phone-in. Never will do.

3

Alberto.,

21/03/2007 15:16:11

The great TV phone-in Competitions ‘Con!’

Regardless of the recent alleged ‘check-up’ when they were temporarily taken off the air, but some (maybe all?) re-introduced, and still apparently with massive gaping holes to seemingly facilitate the ‘Con’ game again!

Goodness knows what state will arise when that great roaring Gambling bull with the Casinos is let loose – and legally, on the Nation by Tessa Jowell – be very aware!

These TV phone-ins should be banned to protect the Public from what still appears to be the very sharp practice of some of them, and the apparent wide open facility still there for others so inclined, to take advantage of!

If these Companies, or whoever, are to be able to sell there dubious wares via the ease of TV communication, they should be compelled to make all details, conditions and rules, available, no matter how - or costly, and not dodge the issue by referring ‘punters’ to their ‘Websites’, which can only be discovered by use of a computer – which not everyone possesses!

Some of their ‘Conditions’ are unbelievable for an alleged legal gambling aspect from the punters point of view - someone in authority should read them!

For instance, one competition back operating tells you, on screen and by voice, that if the entrance number is phoned after the Comp. has closed, they may be charged for the call – this should not be possible, they should arrange that a call cannot be connected after closure by closing the line down!

Another one states the Comp. is only open while the show is on air and the winner will be selected after the show has finished, and will be contacted by phone later. This sounds all hunky dory, until, and if you can, check the rules on their website that states if the phone is not answered with three rings, another winner will be selected – this is extremely unfair and surely must be illegal – if you’ve won then surely you’ve won and they should make more effort than this to

4

Al Kiholick,

21/03/2007 16:58:45

Frankly the fact that a person is mug enough to even consider calling in these numbers shoul bar them for even having the use of a telephone.

5

Scaramouche2,

A Free Man!! 21/03/2007 19:37:16

The only votes that EVER matter are for who runs the government and councils, not overpaid and averhyped "celebs"!!

The answer is never to phone in!

6

darkmole271,

essex 22/03/2007 16:02:41

#5
got it in one

7

darkmole271,

essex 22/03/2007 16:03:54

#5
glad too see you back


 

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