Ten complaints against a night-time television quiz programme broadcast on TV3 have been upheld by the complaints committee of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.
The authority ruled that some of the PlayTV programmes broadcast on dates between July and November last year were unfair and misleading. It upheld some complaints in part.
Members of the public participate in the show by calling a premium-rate telephone number in an attempt to be put through the studio to answer a quiz question.
One complainant to the BAI claimed the programme he watched on August 9th last year “beggared belief” and alleged that some calls put through to the studio were “plants”.
TV3 defended the programme and said it had been notified to all appropriate authorities and received all appropriate consents. All the appropriate terms and conditions in relation to the show were also on display for viewers to see, the broadcaster contended.
In an 80-page report on the 27 complaints considered at its January 12th meeting, the BAI said of PlayTV: “Given the format of the programme and the details available in the terms and conditions, participants are playing a game of chance for a cash prize. This fact is not conveyed to viewers and, therefore, the current format of the programme is unfair and misleading.”
The committee also upheld three complaints in relation to a discussion broadcast on The Wide Angle programme on Newstalk radio on September 13th 2009 in relation to the second Lisbon Treaty referendum.
It found the programme makers and the presenter, Karen Coleman, “did not take sufficient action to mitigate the views and opinions expressed by the panel, which was overwhelmingly for a Yes vote”.
The authority said it was incumbent on the broadcaster to ensure that “ in dealing with the Lisbon Treaty, a matter of public debate, that both side of the issue were addressed fairly”.
It found the Yes side was given prominence in the discussion.
“The broadcast treatment of the treaty in this broadcast was one-sided and not fair to all interests concerned. The complaint was upheld with regard [to] fairness, objectivity and impartiality.”