GMTV (1993 - 2010)

I'm pleased GMTV have been fined £2M, but it hardly makes a dent in the £20M they made from the unnecessary scam.

How much more would it actually have cost to do the job from an honest and legitimate stance? Probably very little.

They, and the other broadcasters have killed the "goose that laid the golden egg" well and truly. But I always thought these phone-in competitions were no better than those scratch cards that come free in Sunday paper supplements.

Are the regional opts longer now? Meridian have found time to use pre-recorded weather which seems longer than it was when the main presenter read the weather. They have dropped the live view of Brighton Pier that they used to read the weather over though.

They also end on this shot now, instead of handing straight back to GMTV...
http://www.rp-network.com/tvforum/uploads/1_copy4.jpg

£2m jeeezz...does anybody trust TV competitions anymore?

The £20 million was over several years and would be long gone by now, plus they are re-funding callers. Taking a £2.25 million fine in one go is a big whack

So do Meridian now brand their bulletins 'GMTV' because they cover the Thames Valley too?

That's correct.

No!
Unless you happen to have been sectioned last year and still have access to either a phone or the internet and your own bank account.

EDIT:
Having read some of the Ofcom statement it seems to me that had this sort of scam been exposed 10 years ago GMTV would be looking at the loss of their licence.

The fact that they are 75% owned by ITV plc and we are within days of the start of DSO (which essentially negates any effective enforcement of Channel 3 licences) means that Ofcom have no opportunity to either advertise or grant another C3 Breakfast franchise for the interim.

So Ofcom had finally got a backbone and imposed a punitive fine, but are they essentially a lame duck regulator now?

Noticed the studio has different lighting this morning, probably to coincide with Autumn.
Too bright though!!!

Also the text size on the clock is slightly larger... not major point but thought I'd mention!

Yep, go back a page for a comparison.

Sorry, forgot to read prev pages

Have GMTV broadcast the official Ofcom findings yet? I know they mentioned the £2 million fine in the news bulletins.

Incidentally, who get the £2 million?