£50,000 Fine For BBC
Ofcom has fined the BBC £50,000 for breaches of its broadcasting code after a studio guest posed as the winner of a phone-in competition on Blue Peter.
This is the first time that Ofcom has imposed a financial penalty against the BBC.
The Corporation was fined £45,000 for using a studio guest to pose as the winner in the ‘live’ broadcast of Blue Peter on BBC One and £5,000 for repeating the episode on CBBC.
Ofcom said that although the repeat saw a caption displayed stating that competition lines were closed, the telephone number was still visible and the lines were still open.
The BBC was found in breach of the following rules in the broadcasting code regarding the first transmission:
Rule 2.11 – “Competitions should be conducted fairly……”; and
Rule 1.26 – “Due care must be taken over the physical and emotional welfare and the dignity of people under 18 who take part or are otherwise involved in programmes….”
The CBBC repeat was found to be a further breach of Rule 2.11 of the broadcasting code.
In a statement, the BBC said: “We fully accept the seriousness of this case and apologise for the breach of trust with our audiences. We regret that Ofcom found it necessary to impose a fine on the BBC.
“However we are pleased Ofcom’s finding accepts that Blue Peter always intended to conduct a ‘genuine competition’ and recognises the BBC’s good compliance record. The finding also recognises the steps taken by the BBC to address the situation after it came to light and to minimise the chances of such mistakes happening again.”
Friday saw premium-rate phone regulator Icstis impose its highest ever fine, of £150,000, on Eckoh, the service provider on Richard & Judy‘s ‘You Say, We Pay’ phone-in quiz (see Record Fine For Richard & Judy Phone Quiz Operator).
This followed the fine imposed by Ofcom on Five due to breaches of the broadcasting code by its phone-in quiz Brainteaser.
The £300,000 fine incurred by Five is the largest financial penalty ever imposed on a public service broadcaster (see Five Gets Record Fine For Brainteaser Blunders).
There are several call-TV investigations currently being carried out by Ofcom, with many of them expected to be concluded over the summer (see Hanging On The Telephone).
In addition, a separate Ofcom inquiry led by Richard Ayre into the use of premium-rate phone services in TV shows is still ongoing, with these findings also to be published this summer.
Ofcom: 020 7981 3040 www.ofcom.org.uk