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Channel Five suspends phone-ins Five suspends phone-in quiz shows
(20 minutes later)
Channel Five has become the latest broadcaster to suspend programmes using premium-rate phone services. Five has become the latest broadcaster to suspend its quiz shows using premium-rate phone services.
The watchdog for those services is meeting broadcasters and programme makers to look at ways to end the recent controversy over TV phone-ins. The channel said it had experienced problems with its daily Brainteaser programme, and was suspending that and its late-night show Quiz Call.
Icstis is discussing restoring viewers' confidence in premium-rate TV quizzes and votes after a series of problems. The watchdog for those services is meeting broadcasters to look at ways to end the recent controversy over TV phone-ins.
Solutions could include a licensing system or quality mark guaranteeing that interactive services are genuine. Icstis is discussing restoring viewers' confidence after a series of problems.
Channel Five had experienced problems with its daily quiz show Brainteaser. It is already looking at four programmes - Richard and Judy on Channel 4, Saturday Kitchen on BBC One, and ITV shows The X Factor and Saturday Night Takeaway.
Some MPs had earlier urged all broadcasters to review their premium-rate services.
Icstis is already looking at four programmes - Richard and Judy on Channel 4, Saturday Kitchen on BBC-1, and ITV shows X-Factor and Saturday Night Takeaway.
The first thing I will be asking is 'is there anything else nasty in the woodshed we should be knowing about?' Sir Alistair Graham Icstis chairmanThe first thing I will be asking is 'is there anything else nasty in the woodshed we should be knowing about?' Sir Alistair Graham Icstis chairman
Allegations of irregularities include viewers being encouraged to enter competitions after the winners had been chosen.Allegations of irregularities include viewers being encouraged to enter competitions after the winners had been chosen.
Icstis is investigating the high-profile cases that have arisen but chairman Sir Alistair Graham said action was needed in both the short and long term to sort out the "grim mess" broadcasters had got themselves into.Icstis is investigating the high-profile cases that have arisen but chairman Sir Alistair Graham said action was needed in both the short and long term to sort out the "grim mess" broadcasters had got themselves into.
On Tuesday, ITV suspended all its premium-rate phone-in competitions and votes in a move which saw its quiz channel ITV Play taken off air.On Tuesday, ITV suspended all its premium-rate phone-in competitions and votes in a move which saw its quiz channel ITV Play taken off air.
Now 12 MPs, led by the Liberal Democrat culture spokesman Don Foster, are asking other broadcasters to follow the channel's lead. Now 12 MPs, led by the Liberal Democrat culture spokesman Don Foster, are asking other broadcasters to follow the channel's lead in a Commons motion.
Mr Foster has tabled a Commons motion, arguing the public are "entitled to have absolute confidence" in the services. Sir Alistair told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We need something fairly quick to try to restore consumer confidence in this area and then perhaps a longer-term solution which may be us running some sort of licence arrangement or some kite mark."
'Ripped off' Suggesting other problems could emerge, he said: "The first thing I will be asking is 'is there anything else nasty in the woodshed we should be knowing about?' so that we can get this out on the table."
Sir Alistair told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "These things are a matter of individual choice and they have been shown to be popular, which is why I am anxious that we sort out this pretty grim mess that the broadcast companies have got themselves into.
"We need something fairly quick to try to restore consumer confidence in this area and then perhaps a longer-term solution which may be us running some sort of licence arrangement or some kite mark.
Suggesting other problems could emerge he said: "The first thing I will be asking is 'is there anything else nasty in the woodshed we should be knowing about?' so that we can get this out on the table."
Something was needed that would reassure viewers using a premium rate telephone line in a television programme they are "not going to be ripped off", he added.
Earlier Sir Alistair said he thought the phone-in errors were the result of "sloppiness" and "more cock-up than conspiracy".
Saturday KitchenSaturday Kitchen
ITV1's Saturday Night Takeaway was the latest programme to come under scrutiny, following reports that viewers were encouraged to enter a competition after the winners had been chosen.ITV1's Saturday Night Takeaway was the latest programme to come under scrutiny, following reports that viewers were encouraged to enter a competition after the winners had been chosen.
Similar claims were earlier made about the You Say, We Pay quiz on Channel 4's Richard and Judy show.Similar claims were earlier made about the You Say, We Pay quiz on Channel 4's Richard and Judy show.
The BBC's Saturday Kitchen is also being examined after viewers were asked to phone in to appear on the following week's programme, despite it being filmed just minutes after the live show.The BBC's Saturday Kitchen is also being examined after viewers were asked to phone in to appear on the following week's programme, despite it being filmed just minutes after the live show.
It was also found that X Factor viewers had been overcharged a total of £200,000 when phoning in to the ITV1 talent show.It was also found that X Factor viewers had been overcharged a total of £200,000 when phoning in to the ITV1 talent show.