Analysis

Torin Douglas

BBC media correspondent



The timing could hardly have been worse. Television bosses were meeting the regulator Icstis, hoping to convince it there wasn't really a "crisis" or "scandal" in premium-rate TV shows, merely a few unfortunate coincidences, when up popped a new incident that seemed to confirm the worst.

The regulator plans to tighten up the rules on premium-rate TV

Five announced it was suspending all its premium-rate quiz and vote shows, as ITV did earlier in the week.

While ITV had admitted overcharging viewers of The X Factor by £200,000, Five admitted the producers of its Brainteaser quiz show had made up the names of winners.

"Instead of informing viewers that no winning caller had been found in the time period available, the production company put fictional names on screen as winners," the channel said in a statement.

"On one occasion a member of the production team went on air as a 'winning' contestant".

Five's chief executive Jane Lighting issued an immediate apology.

"We are shocked and disappointed and wish to apologise unreservedly to our viewers.

"The production company involved has failed to meet the high standards we demand of our suppliers," she said.

That production company is the unfortunately-named Cheetah Television, a subsidiary of Big Brother producer Endemol UK.

Cavalier

Endemol too "apologised unreservedly" - and no wonder.

It's still being investigated by the media regulator Ofcom following the racism row over Celebrity Big Brother.

Ofcom - like Icstis - has now launched an inquiry into Brainwave.

Meanwhile Icstis is still investigating Channel 4's Richard & Judy, BBC One's Saturday Kitchen, and several ITV shows, for a variety of irregularities .

"Broadcasters have got themselves into a pretty grim mess," said Sir Alastair Graham, the Icstis chairman.

"Viewers must have a dreadful perception of the cavalier way they've been dealt with by the broadcasters."

A new licensing system

Cavalier, careless, lax.

There's little doubt that some production companies, or phone companies, or both, have failed to take the rules at all seriously.

Now the industry has had a real wake-up call - and some television executives must be feeling very uncomfortable indeed.

ICSTIS already has the power to impose heavy fines if its rules are broken, as does the media regulator Ofcom.

But there's a worse threat hanging over them.

Sir Alistair said: "If we have any evidence that a possible criminal offence has occurred.

"We have very close links with the City of London police force and I can assure you we would refer any such evidence for them to investigate."

That is a remote possibility, ICSTIS says.

What is in no doubt that the regulator is going to tighten up the rules for premium rate TV shows considerably, to try to restore viewers' trust.

Sir Alistair announced that a new licensing system for such shows will be introduced as a matter of "absolute priority", to take effect within three months.

ICSTIS is also considering the introduction of a 'kitemark' to show viewers that programme systems have been checked.

It's not before time.