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Press Releases
Stringent new policies on premium rate phone calls precede a phased return of Â鶹Éç competitions
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The Â鶹Éç is to introduce a new policy this week to bring greater clarity to audiences in the way programmes which use premium rate phone calls are priced.
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From this week, calls to Â鶹Éç programmes using premium rate telephony are to be capped at 15 pence.
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The only exception to this will be in programmes directly related to a charity appeal, such as Comic Relief, Â鶹Éç Children in Need or Restoration.
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In these cases, as now, the audience will be given a clear indication that this is happening.
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The new policy of having just two premium call categories – one capped at 15p for all Â鶹Éç programmes and the other for any charity appeals – will make it even clearer to audiences what to expect when they interact with Â鶹Éç programmes in competitions or votes.
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At the moment a number of Â鶹Éç programmes not directly related to a charitable appeal, such as Strictly Come Dancing, take the opportunity to raise a small additional sum for the charities by increasing the call price, usually by 10 pence. This will no longer happen under the new policy.
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Â鶹Éç Director-General Mark Thompson said: "Â鶹Éç programmes do not make money from premium rate calls and we've always told viewers and listeners the costs of calling to enter competitions or to vote. But I want this to be even clearer.
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"In future, audiences can be clear that these calls will be capped at 15 pence unless they are directly related to a charity appeal.
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"I do understand that this will mean that slightly less money will go to the charities as a result of the new policy, but we're already talking to them about other ways of supporting their work."
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The new policy is part of a range of measures the Corporation, with the approval of the Â鶹Éç Trust, is to take prior to the return of competitions on the Â鶹Éç.
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A new Code of Conduct (bbc.co.uk/competitionspolicy) was announced last month.
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The code is the Â鶹Éç's undertaking to its audiences on the running of competitions and voting, and will be widely publicised to the general public.
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Forty-five per cent (7,200) of applicable Â鶹Éç staff have already attended the mandatory training course Safeguarding Trust which was launched in November following concerns over competitions and editorial breaches.
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A limited number of competitions will return to the Â鶹Éç in a phased manner from January 2008, beginning with Goal Of The Month on Match Of The Day on Â鶹Éç One and Pop Master on the Ken Bruce show on Â鶹Éç Radio 2.
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A range of measures have been put in place prior to the return of competitions.
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These include:
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 All staff involved in the running of a competition must have attended the Â鶹Éç's Safeguarding Trust training and the additional training this programme offers in running competitions and voting
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A reduction in the number of competitions to be held on Â鶹Éç programmes
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Any proposed competition must have very senior level prior approval
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The competition must be supervised by an appropriate editorial figure, and this arrangement must be approved in advance
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A senior executive in each Â鶹Éç Division will advise on any potential issues that may arise from competitions and how approval processes are being bedded down in their division
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All use of premium rate phone lines must have the prior approval of the Â鶹Éç's Editorial Policy Department
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Â鶹Éç programmes are to make audiences aware of the new Code of Conduct on air.
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Mark Thompson said: "The public pay for the Â鶹Éç, indeed they own the Â鶹Éç, and quite rightly they have higher expectations of us than of any other broadcaster.
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"Trust in our integrity, our determination to deal fairly and honestly with our audiences, is the most precious thing the Â鶹Éç possesses.
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"The Â鶹Éç has followed a policy of confronting problems, disclosing everything and giving the public a clear explanation of what we are doing to get things right.
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"Early indications are that our audiences approve of what we've done. After an understandable dip, our ratings for trust are recovering."
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Â鶹Éç Press Office
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