GMTV Given £2 Million Fine

Ofcom has fined GMTV £2 million for misconduct after it ran a competition where winners were selected before the competition had closed.

GMTV was found to have breached Rule 2.11 of the Ofcom Broadcasting Code, which came into effect on 25 July 2005, stating that “Competitions should be conducted fairly”, and Rule 8.2(b) of the ITC (Independent Television Commission) Code 2002 “Use of Premium Rate Telephone Services in Programmes: The licensee must retain control of and responsibility for the service arrangements….”.

In particular, Ofcom’s investigation found the following types of misconduct in GMTV competitions:

Early selection – picking competition finalists before lines had closed. This meant that substantial numbers of viewers who entered the competition stood no chance of being entered into the competition.

15/5 method – selecting 15 competition finalists between 06.00 – 08.30 and the remaining five at 09.00 after the lines had closed. Viewers calling between 08.30 – 09.00 therefore had significantly less chance of being selected as a finalist than those who entered before 08.30; and

Final Five – selecting the final five competition finalists before the lines had closed.

Ofcom has also directed GMTV to broadcast a summary of its ruling on three separate occasions.

The fine beats Ofcom’s previous biggest of £300,000, given to Five over Brainteaser (see Five Gets Record Fine For Brainteaser Blunders) and matches former regulator the ITC’s biggest fine, handed out to Carlton in 1998 over dodgy documentary The Connection.

On Monday, premium rate phone line regulator Icstis fined Opera Telecoms, the competition phone service provider, a maximum £250,000 for its part in the GMTV scandal (see Maximum Fine For Opera Telecom Over GMTV Phone-In Scandal).

It had been reported that GMTV’s fine could be as high as £2.8 million (see GMTV Could Face Record Fine Over Phone-In Scandal).

The GMTV phone-in scandal began after a Panorama investigation alleged that the broadcaster’s phone quiz service supplier had failed to deliver fair competitions and had effectively cost participants more than £40 million over a four-year period.

Ofcom: 020 7981 3040 www.ofcom.org.uk