TV quizzes should warn on cost and odds, says regulator

Premium-rate phone regulator ICSTIS (Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of the Telephone Information Services) has said that callers should also be told how slim a chance they stand of being put through to the studio, which is the only way that callers have an opportunity to win a prize.

The shows have been a phenomenon of multi-channel television, becoming popular as free digital terrestrial service Freeview has opened up multi-channel viewing to more people. The programming is extremely cheap and is only shown late at night on terrestrial ITV1 or on digital services on channels dedicated to the shows.

The regulator has proposed the rules in order to stop consumers feeling exploited by the programmes. "The sector cannot afford to be eroded by consumer mistrust. If the sector is to flourish, Call TV quiz shows must enjoy widespread consumer confidence," said Sir Alistair Graham, chairman of ICSTIS.

"Our review did not find evidence of unlawful practices but we did uncover evidence which clearly highlighted the need for consumers to be given more information about the cost of taking part and the element of chance involved," said Graham. "We are therefore proposing to refine our rules to ensure greater transparency for consumers and to further encourage best practice in the sector.”

Callers phone in to answer questions which are displayed on screen and join a queue. The shows have been criticised in the past for having questions that are incredibly easy, and which encourage large numbers of callers to phone in and generate revenue while on hold without ever being likely to win a prize.

ICSTIS has been investigating the services since October and will now hold a consultation period on its plans, which is open until March. The regulator has also given evidence to a Commons Select Committee that looked into the debt that viewers were incurring by using the programmes.

The proposals also suggest a warning notice on the phone line every 10 minutes as well as every £10, and that the £10 barrier is counted on a per phone line per day basis, not just per call. The ICSTIS review found that some firms already give both these warnings, but that the practice is by no means universal.

The review found, though, that the audience for the shows was literate about the payment mechanisms involved. It found that 90% of users of the shows surveyed were aware that they were charged whether or not they got through to the studio and that selection for studio participation, and an opportunity to win a prize, was entirely random.

The review found that while some stations and programmes averaged income of up to £36,801, some shows averaged £221 per hour. The average overall was £6,000 an hour, with a third of that on average being given away in prize money.