Oh damn, the premium phone line regulator is introducing new rules that will make it harder to fleece money out of viewers by making them pay to phone in for competitions they've next to no chance of actually participating in.
Regulator Icstis has, of course, been investigating the use of premium rate phone ins by TV companies after various scandals surfaced where by viewers were told to phone in to take part in competitions for which contestants had already been selected. Aside from having to be more strict in ensuring that kind of thing doesn't happen any more, Icstis is also making TV phone in shows be clearer in informing viewers of their chances of actually getting on air, and to provide more information on the cost of taking part.
Icstis say they have worked closely with OfCom, broadcasters, show producers and phone firms in coming up with their new rules, which will come into force in four weeks, and that they hope the new measures will restore public confidence in the phone in shows. Icstis chief George Kidd told reporters yesterday: "We believe these new measures, which are designed to address the concerns that have been raised recently, will go a long way to restoring consumer trust in this form of TV quiz".
Of course whether the new warnings will actually stop people wasting their money by entering these shows I don't know - probably not - Channel 4 could probably still bank on rip off phone feature income to help balance their books.