BBC Program Alleges Fraud on GMTV Call-In Competitions

LONDON, April 23: BBC One’s Panorama current-affairs show today alleged that callers to
premium-rate phone competitions on the GMTV morning show have been defrauded
out of millions of pounds over the last four years.

Calling the incident “TV’s dirtiest little secret,” Panorama said that GMTV’s phone operator, Opera Interactive
Technology, compiled short-lists of winners “long before” lines had closed.
Callers pay £1.80 to enter GMTV
competitions. This could have amounted to callers being defrauded of up to
£45,000 per day, or £10 million per year.

Ofcom is said to have launched a formal investigation into
GMTV and Opera Interactive.

GMTV said today that it was “shocked to hear of these
allegations.” The GMTV statement continued: “Just over a month ago GMTV
instructed the city accountancy firm Deloitte to carry out a full independent
review of GMTV and Opera's current interactive systems and processes. This
review has now been completed and we are confident on the basis of Deloitte's
findings and our own research that our competitions are being operated fully in
accordance with the codes—and that no finalists are being selected before
lines have closed. We are investigating further but do anticipate bringing our
competitions back as soon as possible.”