MGEITF 2007: Phone-Ins Lose Popularity Through Trust Issues

Nearly three quarters of the public claim they will not take part in a television phone-in competition again, judging them difficult to trust following this summer’s scandals.

The poll was commissioned for the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International TV Festival (MGEITF) for its “Trust Me…I’m in Telly” panel debate, which will feature Andy Duncan, chief executive of Channel 4, Simon Shaps, director of TV at ITV and media journalist and MediaTel Group Seminar panelist Ray Snoddy.

No terrestrial channel escaped unscathed from the scandals, with the aftermath and repercussions still being felt in the industry. Record Ofcom fines for Channel 4’s Richard and Judy show (see Record Fine For Richard & Judy Phone Quiz Operator), the resignation of the MD of GMTV, Paul Corley (see GMTV MD To Leave Following Phone-In Scandal) and on-air apologies from BBC’s flagship children’s programme Blue Peter (see Blue Peter Fakes Winner, Joins Phone-In Blacklist) were just a few of the outcomes following the phone-in troubles.

Tonight’s flagship MacTaggart lecture at this year’s MGEITF is presented by Jeremy Paxman who is expected to warn that a summer of scandals has left the industry suffering a “catastrophic loss of nerve”.

Reports on the Guardian website suggest he will call on media executives to come up with a statement of “greater purpose, or moral drive” for television, rather than chasing ratings.

MediaTel.co.uk’s NewsLine are at this year’s event and will report back next week on the key developments from the weekend’s festival.

MGEITF: www.mgeitf.co.uk