Channel Four fined for phone-in misconduct

Channel Four has been given a £1.5 million fine over misconduct in Richard and Judy’s You Say We Pay competition and Deal or No Deal. Collectively it is the second biggest fine ever imposed by Ofcom, the largest being £2 million on GMTV for similar phone-ins.

Ofcom, the media watchdog, hit them with the fine after it was established that finalists for the You Say We Pay competition were picked before lines closed. Eckoh UK, the company which ran Richard and Judy’s You Say We Pay quiz, has already been fined £150,000.

In Deal Or No Deal, presented by Noel Edmonds, those entering the competition were not given a fair and equal chance of winning.

It is believed that £1 million of the fine is over You Say We Pay and £500,000 for Deal Or No Deal.

Channel Four said it would like to ‘apologise once again’ to viewers. The channel’s steps to correct the problems include full refunds for viewers, charity donations and the withdrawal of premium rate competitions on all its programmes.

Anne Bulford, Channel 4’s group finance director, said there had been ‘absolutely no intention’ to mislead viewers.

Ofcom concluded by saying that its fines would have been higher had Channel Four not taken such ‘wide ranging action’.

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