Helplines - hardly used on ITV, always on C4

Watching the soaps last night, Emmerdale ended with a teenage girl finding out she was pregnant while Corrie concentrated on bullying. However, neither programme offered viewers a helpline or website for support.

I know occassionally ITV advertise the Samaratins after a high profile story, but more often than not they offer nothing. The BBC occassionally, though not regularly, advise viewers to the BBC Action Line.

Only Channel 4 seems to regularly offer a point of contact - usually website or helpline - for viewers to contact. There is almost always one after Hollyoaks - often ruining any kind of cliffhanger with the phrase "If you've been affected by the death..."

Are stations just left to their own devises regarding helplines!

I don't think there are any regulations per se.

Hollyoaks probably feature them more frequently than the others due to to the fact that it's aimed directly at teenagers, many of whom may be experiencing the issues dealt with.

I'm sure their handling of the cannabis storyline was considered to be very PC but it was rather OTT I thought. Ok so I wouldn't expect them to go anywhere near condoning such behaviour, but it really did portray it in a rather innacurately devastating way.

It's amazing how much of a difference these storylines make. Who remembers the Alma storyline in Coronation Street? After that didn't smear tests go up by something like 200%?

Now would people care to speculate whether it would of made any difference to that number if the helpline had been there or not. I can't remember myself if it was, but i'm sure it would of been.