British media regulator Ofcom has fined morning TV programme GMTV £2 million (€2.85 million) for allowing viewers to enter competitions they had no chance of winning.
Ofcom found GMTV, which is 75 per cent owned by broadcaster ITV, had picked competition finalists before lines had closed.
Ofcom said in July that an inquiry into TV programmes and quizzes that use premium rate telephone numbers had found that they frequently misled viewers, such as naming fictional winners.
Concerns have been raised about calls costing up to £1.5 pounds per minute that allow viewers to enter quizzes, vote in reality shows and play interactive games.
Ofcom said the inquiry found some broadcasters appeared to be in denial about their responsibilities regarding these programmes and that revenue generation was a major driver in the growth of premium rate services.
The regulator said the inquiry concluded that broadcasters must be made directly accountable and that it would recommend amending licences to include protection for consumers and third-party auditing as well as issuing guidance to ensure fairness and transparency.