Ofcom tightens TV phone-in competition rules

The media watchdog first proposed the changes in 2008 after controversies involving phone-in voting and phone-in competitions rocked the TV industry.

The changes, which will be introduced next year, mean premium rate telephone services will only be permitted in TV and radio programmes where they are related to the show in question.

Channels likely to be affected by the changes are so-called participation TV channels, which include specialist quiz, adult chat and psychic channels.

The Advertising Code currently limits advertising of such competitions of a sexual nature to encrypted channels and also restricts the promotion of such competitions featuring live psychic services.

Ofcom proposes to update the code to allow promotion of these services on TV.