Competitions

[secsee1]

Most day time programs such as Loose Women, Real Deal, GMTV etc. all run competitions which you phone in or text an answer at about £1. a time or they say enter for free online.
Now going by the old saying ''There's no such thing as a free lunch'' or ''Nothings for free'' do the people who enter for free stand as much chance of winning as the paying viewers ? and does anyone know
of somebody that has won such a competition by entering online ?

[joggerjayne]

I think the telly channels make so much from phone ins, they don't care.

They have a "phone in with the answer" question on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. ITV make so much money from the phone ins, they would still be in profit if a contestant won £1million on every single show.

[NoMercy]

I asked myself this very question not two days ago, and came to the same conclusion as Jane. Plus I think there are watchdogs who regulate these phone-in competitions now, expecially in light of recent fiascos.

[NoMercy]

*Jayne*. Omg... I'm in so much trouble....

[joggerjayne]

It's okay hummingbird ...

I'd prefer to have been a "Jane" ...

It would have saved me having to spell my name out all the time.

[Mr Veritas]

Personally,I think the "free online" is just a con,and put there for those people that (rightly) object to paying for a phone entry.
I think that the TV company completely ignores the online entries.

[boxtops]

It would be interesting if there is anyone on here who actually works in one of these places, who could say (as if they would) if Mr V is right or if on-line entries all get entered (and indeed if anyone has eve won who enters on line. I enter on-line from time to time but I wouldn't dream of phoning in, not at the prices they show on the TV screen.

[ABerrant]

After the myriad phone-in scams The Ofcom Broadcasting Code (2009) was revamped from its 2005 precursor and took effect on 16th December 2009. The new code adds clarity to what is expected of broadcasters in respect of phone-in competitions, such as being conducted fairly (Rule 2.13) and not to mislead (Rule 2.14). This has resulted in broadcasters ensuring they have independent auditing of competition procedures.

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/ifi/codes/bcode/

For example, the GMTV website (which must not mislead - see above) claims that winners cannot be selected by method of entry - all entries are fed into a database and have an equal chance of winning.

http://www.gm.tv/faqs...titions/31993-tv.html