They say they are in conversations with GMTV... I thought they would not be affected, isn't GMTV a separate entity?
Yes that's why they are in conversation with them, to see if they want to pull their quizes and take part in the audit as well
If it turned our Chegger's doorstep quiz was dodgy it'd still be the name ITV in all the papers, even though GMTV is actually a seperate broadcaster
I wonder if other channels will decide to audit their phone-ins as well. I wouldn't be surprised if some of those quiz channels on Sky were not 100% above board
Have to admit, as honest and decent a thing to do as this sounds, there's no doubt that they will all return within a few days. This isn't ITV saying that they're stopping them altogether.
Isn't it just a case though of it being lip-service more than anything else.
I'm sure since the Richard and Judy scandal first broke that all the major broadcasters at least have been ensuring they are doing everything by the book just in case the Daily Mail comes a knocking! It's just in these cases the competitions have remained on air and been treated as innocent until proven guilty.
Personally although I think they are a rip-off I think it be wrong for them to be banned. People have the choice of whether to participate and as long as things are done fairly and made clear I've no problem with them.
The only real issue is the price - over the last few years standard rates on the commercial channels have risen from around 25p a call to £1 for competitions, and similarly for voting to around a standard of 50p, with less and less in programmes "for charity" being given to charity.
I'm not keen on forcing broadcasters to give 20% of revenue to charity as that cost is just passed straight back to the viewer - and it's effectively a 20% stealth tax. However, perhaps if it was enforced for phone charges over a certain price it wouldn't be a bad idea at aiming to keep the cost down - though of course if it was implemeneted from say 50p broadcasters would just hover below it at 49p.
Two other issues I want to touch on - firstly, the ridiculous questions. This is the regulators most stupid rule IMO and an absolute insult to the viewer - I don't see the harm in letting people just enter a competition without having to answer a question in the way Deal or No Deal do - they use the loophole of free web entry to get out of asking stupid questions, but as a viewer I find myself more likely to enter a competition where my intelligence is not insulted.
Secondly, the revenue streams for broadcasters. ITV especially have been quite honest about using premium rate phonelines to help top up their revenue, and again I don't see the problem as people are not forced to participate, just as they aren't forced to buy products advertised (well, except for the TV licence that is). If it's banned though, it'll be another blow to the industry in the wake of the junk food ban - and ultimately it'll lead to OFCOM caving in and allowing more advertising, whether in the traditional form or product placement, creeping into the heart of the schedules.
P.S. Re: STV - pretty sure ITV Plc have some sort of stake in STV.
They just said on the local radio news that the semi-final of
Dancing on Ice
could be affected and that ITV Play is currently off-air.
Good to see they've done their research then. ITV Play IS on the air, it won't be on from tomorrow for a period. Dancing on Ice may be affected but then again, I may win the lottery